before the Sacraments were ministred now it is supposed to be sufficient if it be read To proue that the worde was preached before the sacrameÌ„ts were ministred you alledge the third of Mathew verse 12. VVhich hath his fanne in his hand and vvil make cleane his flovver and gather his vvheate into his garner but vvill burne vp the chaffe vvith vnquencheable fyre I vnderstand not how you can of this place conclude that there must be of necessitie preaching and not reading before the administration of the Sacraments If you say Iohn preached vnto suche as came vnto his Baptisme and readde not vnto them therefore of necessitie there must be preaching and not reading I denye the argument for it is a common rule that we may not conclude a generall doctrine of a singuler or particuler example and I am sure it is agaynst all rule of Logicke But how if it maye be proued that Iohn did baptyse some without preaching vnto them In that third chapter of Mathew verses .5 and .6 we reade that all Ierusalem and all Iâ—daea and all the region round about Iordan went out to be baptized of him and that they were baptized of him in Iordane confessing their sinnes but we reade not that he did immediatly before preache vnto them and verses .13.14.15 it is manifeste that he did baptize Christe without preaching This is but a slender proofe you vse therby to condemne the sinceritie of our sacraments and administring of them in this Churche There is no man I thinke whiche doth not allowe of preaching before the administration of the Sacraments But it is not therwith ioyned tanquam de necessitate sacramenti as of the necessitie of the sacrament neyther is there any thing here alledged for preaching before the administration of the Lords Supper In déede we reade not that Christ did preache immediatly before the distribution of the Sacrament of his body bloud to his disciples onely he told them that some of them should betray him that he had greatly desired to â—ate that passeouer with them This I write to shewe youre blynde and vnlearned collections not to disallow preaching in the administration of Sacraments But I woulde gladly learne why you doe so greately myslyke of readyng the Scriptures I hope you be not Zwingfildians Is not the worde of God as effectuall when it is read as when it is preached or is not reading preaching Isidorus sayeth that reading bringeth great profite to the hearers Tertulian sayth when wée come togither to the reading of the holy Scriptures wée féede oure faythe wyth those heauenly voyces we rayse vp oure affiaunce wée fasten our hope And againe he calleth the reading of the Scriptures the féeding of our fayth But what néede I speake anye more of a matter so manyfeste You flatly ioyne with the Papist in this For in the confutation of the Apologie of the Churche of Englande mayster Harding calleth reading of the Scriptures to the people in the Churche a spirituall dumbnesse and a thing vnprofitable c. That to reade the scriptures in the church is no newe thing but moste auncient and grounded vppon Gods worde it is manyfest by that whiche is written in the fourth of Luke where the Euangelist sayeth that Christ on the Sabboth day going into the synagoge according to his accustomed manner risse vp to reade and there was deliuered vnto him the booke of the Prophete Esaye and as soone as hée opened the Booke hée founde the place where it was written Spiritus Domini super me c. The Spirite of the Lord vpon me c. Likewyse in the thirtéenth of the Actes wée reade that Paule and other of his companie béeing in the Synagoge on the Sabboth day was sent vnto by the rulers of the Synagoge Post lectronem legis Propherarum after the readyng of the lawe and the Prophets to know if they would make any exhortation to the people Iustinus Martyr Apolog. 2. pro Christianis sayeth that in his tyme the manner was on the Sabboth daye when the people were gathered together to haue the Scriptures read in the publique congregation and in the time of publike Prayer for the space of one whole houre Origene wryting vppon Iosua Homel 15. saythe that the Bookes of the olde Testamente were deliuered by the Apostles to be read in the Churches Cyprian lib. 2. Epists 5. sayth The reader soundeth out the highe and heauenly vvords he readeth out the Gospel of Christ. c. Chrysostome vppon the Actes Hom. 19. The Minister and common Minister standeth vp and cryeth vvyth a loude voyce saying Kepe silence after that the reader beginneth the prophecie of Esay Augustin speaking to the people sayth Yee heard vvhen the Gospell vvas read yee heard erevvhile vvheÌ„ it vvas read if ye gaue eare to the reading dearely beloued vvee haue hearde in the lesson that hath ben read But of reading bothe scriptures and prayers I haue spoken before and mynde to speake something hereafter For my part I muse what you meane in this poynt so to iumpe with the Papists The seconde generall reason is this Then Sacramentes were ministred in publique assemblies nowe in priuate houses The places of Scripture wherby you proue that Sacraments were then ministred in publique assemblies be taken out of the first of S. Marke and .1 Cor. 11. which places of Scripture proue that Iohn did baptize openly that the Lords Supper was ministred in the publique congregation but neyther of them bothe conclude that these Sacraments may not also be ministred vppon any occasion in priuate houses For what sequele is there in this reason all the countrey of Iudaea and they of Ierusalem wente out vnto him and were baptised of him in the riuer of Iordan confessing their sinnes Ergo Baptisme may not be ministred vpon any occasion in priuate houses you may as well conclude that none ought to be baptized but in the riuer of Iordan and none but suche as be able to confesse their sinnes and so you shoulde seclude children from Baptisme as the Anabaptistes doe Baptisme was ministred in Cornelius house Actes 10. The place is not of the substaunce of the Sacraments To the .1 Corin. 11. it is answered before Surely this Churche of England doth not permit the sacraments to be ministred in priuate places except there be a coÌ„gregation and then not vsually but only in certaine cases The thirde generall reason is this Then by ministers onely now by midwiues and deacons equally That then the Sacraments were ministred onely by ministers you alledge the 28. of Mathew whiche place is answered before Likewise .1 Cor. 4. Let a man so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Chryst and disposers of the mysteries of God. Here is not one worde for your purpose Except you take mysteries for sacrameÌ„ts which if you do you are much deceyued for by the word mysteries here he vnderstandeth the worde of God and Gospell of Chryste as all learned writers do
vpon the .2 to the Coloss. But some will say that we as yet haue some kind of obseruing dayes I answere that we obserue them not as though there were any religion in them or as thoughe it were not then lawfull to labour but we haue a respect of pollicie and orders not of dayes And in his institutions vpon the fourth commaundement Neither do I so speake of the seuenth day that I would binde the Church onely vnto it for I do not condemne those Churches which haue other solemne dayes to meete in so that they be voide of superstition which shal be if they be ordeyned onely for the obseruing of discipline and order Master Bucer in his Epistle to master Alasco speking of holy dayes sayth that in the Scriptures there is no expresse commaundement of them it is gathered notwithstanding sayth he from the example of the olde people that they are profitable for vs to the encrease of godlynesse which thing also experience proueth To be short Illiricus writing vppon the fourth to the Gala. maketh this diuision of obseruing dayes times The first is natural as of sōmer spring time ▪ winter ▪ c. time of planting time of sowing time of reaping c. The seconde is ciuill The thirde Ecclesiasticall as the sabboth day and other dayes wherein is celebrated the memorie of the chiefe histories or acts of Christ which be profitable for the instruction of the simple that they may the better remēber when the Lorde was borne when he suffred when he asscended vp into heauen be further taught in the same The fourth superstitious when we put a necessitie worshipping merite or righteousnesse in the obseruing of time and this kinde of obseruing dayes and times is onely forbydden in this place Thus you sée by the iudgements of all these learned men that days ascribed to saincts is no such matter as ought to make men seperate them selues from the Church and abstayne from allowing by subscription so worthy godly a booke as the booke of common praier is much lesse to make a schisme in the Church for the same Touching fasting on the euens of suche feastes or rather absteyning from flesh you know it is not for religion but for pollicie and as I thinke the same is protested in that Acte where suche kinde of absteyning is established and therfore these be but slender quarels picked to disalowe suche a booke Admonition The fourth reason In this booke we are enioyned to receyue the Communion kneeling whiche beside that it hath in it a shewe of Papistrie dothe not so well expresse the mysterie of this holy Supper For as in the olde Testamente eating the Pascall Lambe standing signified a readinesse to passe euen so in the receyuing of it nowe sitting according to the example of Chryste we signifie reste that is a full fynishing thorough Chryste of all the ceremoniall Lawe and a perfecte worke of redemption wroughte that giueth reste for euer And so we auoyde also the daunger of Idolatrie whiche was in tymes paste too common and yet is in the heartes of many who haue not as yet forgotten their breaden God so slenderly haue they ben instructed Agaynst whiche wee may sette the commaundemente Thou shalte not bowe downe to it nor worship it Answere Surely this is a sore reason the booke of Common prayers requireth kneeling at the Communion Ergo it is not to be allowed That knéeling is not to be vsed you proue on this sort Kneeling is a shewe of papistrie and dothe not so well expresse the misterie of the Lords supper therefore not to be vsed Of knéeling at the Communion I haue spoken before now therfore I will onely note in one worde or two the slendernesse of this argument You say knéeling is a shewe of euill and for proofe thereof you alledge 1. Thessa. 5. Absteyne from all apparance of euyll Howe followeth this the Apostle willeth vs to abstayne from all apparaunce of euill Therefore knéeling at the Communion is a shew of euill But your meaninge is that bicause the Papistes knéeled at the sacring of the Masse as they called it therefore we may not knéele at the receiuing of the Communion you may as well say they prayed to images and saincts knéeling therfore we may not pray knéeling There is no such perill in knéeling at the Communion as you surmise for the gospeller is better instructed than so grossely to erre And as for the learned Papiste he is so farre from worshipping that he disdayneth that holy Communion iesteth at it and either altogither absteyneth from comming vnto it or else commeth onely for feare of punishement or pro forma tantum for fashion sake and the moste ignoraunt and simplest Papist that is knoweth that the Communion is not the Masse neither do they sée it lifted vp ouer the Priestes heade with suche great solemnitie as they did when they tooke it to be their god No truely the contempt of that misterie is more to be feared in them than worshipping and to be short if they be disposed to worship they will aswel worship sitting as knéeling But they are farre from suche an opinion of the bread and wine in the blessed Communion for they make no accompt at all of it You say sitting is the moste meetest gesture bycause it signifieth rest that is a full finishing thorowe Christ of all the ceremoniall lawe c. What are ye nowe come to allegories and to significations Surely this is a very papisticall reason Nay then we can giue you a great deale better significations of the Surplesse of crossing of the ring in mariage and many other ceremonies than this is of sitting I praye you in the whole Scripture where dothe sitting sygnifie a full finishing of the ceremoniall lawe and a perfect worke of redemption that giueth rest for euer If allegories please you so well let vs haue eyther standing which signifieth a readinesse to passe vsed also in the eating of the Passeouer or knéeling whiche is the proper gesture for prayer and thankes giuing and signifieth the submission and humblenesse of the mynde But you say Christ sat at his Supper therfore we must sitte at the receyuing of the Supper You may as well say Christ did celebrate his Supper at night after Supper to twelue onely men and no women in a parlour within a priuate house the thursday at night before Easter therfore we ought to receyue the Cōmunion at night after supper being twelue in number and onely men in a parlor within a priuate house the Thursday at nighte before Easter But who séeth not the non sequitur of this argument The places written in youre margent to proue that Christ did sitte at Supper be néedlesse and were vsed for the same purpose before where I haue also spoken my opinion of kneeling If you cite the Gal. 4. and 5. and the Epistle to the Hebrues in many places to proue that sitting signifieth rest that is a full
and they bée quoted to proue a matter not doubted of among vs. In the former edition and fourthe reason it is thus written In this booke we are enioyned to receiue the Communion kneeling whiche beside that it hath in it a shewe of papistrie dothe not so well expresse the mysterie of this holy supper For as in the olde Testament eating the Paschall Lamb standing signified a readinesse to passe euen so in receiuing it nowe sitting according to the example of Christe we signifie a rest that is a full finishing thorough Christe of all the ceremonial lawe and a perfect worke of redemption wrought that giueth rest for euer and so we auoyde also the daunger of Idolatrie In the seconde Edition these wordes be thus altered In this booke we are enioyned to receiue the Communiō kneeling which beside that it hath in it a shewe of popish Idolatrie dothe not so wel expresse a supper neither agreeth it so wel with the institution of Christ as sitting dothe not that we make sitting a thing of necessitie belonging vnto the Sacrament neither affirm we that it maye not be receiued otherwise but that it is more neare the institution and also a meane to auoyde the daunger of Idolatrie Here is the signification of sitting whiche they before made cleane dashed out as a thing vnaduisedly before put in It is also here graunted that the Communion may be receiued otherwise than sitting with other circumstances whereof they haue nowe better considered Surely this is a great alteration vppon suche a sodeine And I would hardly haue bene persuaded that these men woulde so sone haue discredited themselues by their inconstancie But peraduenture the selfe same had not the correction of the booke which were the first penners of it and therefore how they will like of this correctiō it may be doubted But although the woordes in the text be altered yet the quotations in the margent remayne still Belike they are to be applied as it pleaseth the platformers In the same leafe and fifth reason to these wordes Besides that we neuer read in the new Testamente that this worde Priest as touching office is vsed in the good parte In the second editiō is added except it speake of the Leuiticall priesthood or of the priesthood of christ Here as I thinke they haue forgotten that which Peter speaketh to all Christians in his 1. epistle cap. 2. ver 5. And ye as liuelye stones be made a spirituall house and holy preesthood to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. And vers 9. But ye are a chosen generation a royall priesthood c. And Apoca. 1. And made vs kinges and preestes vnto god c. I willed them before to shew me one place in the whole new Testamēt where this woord Priest as touching the office is taken in euill parte I may be deceiued but I desire to learne Fol. 4. All this is added in the seuenth reason But some will say that the baptisme of women is not cōmaunded by law if it be not why do you suffer it wherefore are the children so baptized accordingly cōmon experience teacheth that it is vsed almost in all places and few speake against it this I am sure of that when it was put in the booke that was the meaning of the most part that were thē present so it was to be vnderstand as common practise without cōtrolement doth playnely declare All these be but coniectures Diuers things he suffered in many places vsed without controlement which notwithstanding by no law be cōmaunded What the meaning was of those that penned the booke I know not neither as I thinke do you And surely for cōmon practise I can say little but for mine owne experience this I dare affirme that I haue not knowne one child so baptised in places where I haue had to do no not synce the beginning of the Quenes Maiesties reigne I speake not of the thing it selfe but onely of your coniectures I thinke if the circumstances of the booke be well considered it will appeare that the meaning is that priuate baptisme is rather to be ministred by some minister which in the time of necessitie may soonest be come by than by any woman But in this point I submit my iudgement to suche as better knowe the meaning of the booke being penners thereof than I do In the same leafe and nynth reason speaking of certen things vsed aboute mariage they adde these woordes With diuers other heathenishe toyes in sundry cuntryes as carying of wheat sheafes on their heads casting of corne with a number of such like whereby they make rather a maygame of mariage than a holie institution of god These be but toyes in déede vsed I know not where not conteyned in any part of the booke of cōmon prayers therefore without my compas of defence They lacke matter when they stuffe their booke with such vayne friuolous trifles Fol. 5. In the 10. reason to these woords as for confirmation is added which the papistes our men say was in tymes past Apostolicall grounding their opinion perhappes vppon some dreame of Hierome And in the same place these woordes be left out We speake not of other toyes vsed in it and how farre it differeth and is degenerated from the first institution they them selues that are learned can witnesse And in the place hereof this is inserted as though baptisme were not alreadie perfecte but needed confirmation or as though the Byshop could giue the holy ghost You your selfe in effecte haue confessed in your firste edition that confirmation of children is very auncient and that it hath bene well instituted for there you say that now it differeth and is degenerat from the first institution But vpon better aduisement you haue left out these wordes in your second edition as you haue also left out thèse with other toyes vsed in it whereby you confesse contrarie to your former sentence that the confirmation of children now vsed is without any toyes Howsoeuer it pleaseth you to accompt Hieromes iudgement touching the antiquitis of confirmation a dreame yet his dreame may be of as much credit with wise men as your bare denial of the same The wordes that you haue added in the seconde place might well haue bene spared for you knowe that confirmation now vsed in this Church is not to make baptisme perfect but partly to trie howe the Godfathers and Godmothers haue performed that which was enioyned them when the children were baptised partly that the children themselues nowe being at the yeares of discretion and hauing learned what their Godfathers and Godmothers promised for them in baptisme may with their owne mouth and with their owne consente openly before the Churche ratifie and confirme the same and also promise that by the grace of God they wil euermore endeuor thēselues faithfully to obserue and kéepe such things as they by their owne mouth and confession haue assented vnto And
¶ An answere to a certen Libel intituled An admonition to the Parliament By IOHN VVHITGIFTE D. of Diuinitie 1. COR. 8.2 If any man thinke that he knoweth any thing he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to knowe 1. COR. 11.16 If any man be contentious we haue no suche custome neyther the Churches of God. GALA 5.26 Let vs not be desirous of vayne glorie prouoking one another enuying one another ¶ Imprinted at London by Henrie Bynneman for Humfrey Toy Anno. 1572. ¶ To his louing Nurie the Christian Church of England I. VV. a member and minister of the same vvisheth peace in Christ and continuance of his glorious gospell euen to the vvorlds ende THere bee diuers thinges especially fiue that wheÌ„ I first tooke this labour in hande had almost vtterly dissuaded me from the same First bycause I doe with all my hart hate contention and strife and especially in matters of religion among such as professe the selfe same Gospell Secondly for that I feared gretly least some slander might redounde to the Gospell by this open contention séeing that God is not the authour of contention or confusion but of peace Thirdly I doubted whether this kinde of dealing by writing might minister matter to the common aduersaries of the Gospell to reioyce and glorie and to flatter them selues the more in their damnable errors Fourthly I greatly suspected the slanderous reportes of the backbiter and of the vnlearned tonâ—ue â–ª the 〈◊〉 bycause he loueth to speake euill and heare euill of all those that be not in all pointes inclinable to his phansie whereof I haue great experience being my selfe most vniustlye slandered by that viperous kinds of men the other bycause they be not able to iudge of controuersies according to learning and knowledge and therefore are ruled by affection carried hedlong with blind zeale into diuers sinister iudgementes erronious opinions Lastlye bycause I knowe sundrie in all respectes worthie men much more able to deale in suche matters than I am But when I considered my dutie towardes God to his Churche and to our most gracious Lady and soueraigne Elizabeth hir Maiestie by whose ministerie God hath giuen his Gospell frée passage vnto us the first stoppe and hinderaunce was answered For I thought that that dutie ought not to be omitted for any such cause séeing God and not man shall be my Iudge and also that not he which defendeth the truthe and confuseth errours but he that impugneth the truthe and spreddeth sectes is the authour of contention Likewise when I remembred the it was no new thing to haue contentions sectes schismes in the Churche of Christ especially when it enioyeth externall peace and that we had manifest examples therof from time to time first in Peter Paule ad Gala. 2. Paule Barnabas Acto 15 then in the Churche of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 1. and .3 Afterwardes betwixt the orientall Church occidentall Church touching Easter such like matters Betwixt the Bishops of Aphrica and the Bishops of Italie for rebaptising of heretikes sundrie times yea vsuallie in the external peace of the church as may be more at large séene in Eusebius Lib. 4. eccle histo ca. 6. lib. 5. ca. 24.25.26 li. 8. c. Likewise in Ruffinus li. 1. ca. 1. In Zozom Li. 6. ca. 4. In Basilius magnus epist. 61. ad fratres Episcopas in accidente epist. 69. and in sundrie other auncient and learned histories and writers For the second point I was satisfied for I thought that that could be no slander to this Church which by the malice of Sathan hath bene practised in all Churches euen synce the ascention of Christ. Thirdly when I perceiued the these men against whome I nowe write did agree with the aduersaries in defacing the state of religion the order of coÌ„mon prayers the ministerie the sacramentes the kind of gouermeÌ„t c. vsed and allowed in this realme of England and that in as opprobrious spitefull manner as the aduersaries do likewise that they séeke to ouerthrow the selfe same pillers of this Church with the aduersaries although not by the selfe same meanes I thought that the confutation and ouerthrowe of the one should be the confutation ouerthrow of the other and therefore the aduersaries to haue small cause in déed of reioycing Against backbiters slanderers and vnlearned tongs I shall by Gods grace arme my selfe with pacience for their taulke is no sufficient cause for a man to absteyne from dooing his dutie To conclude I although the vnworthiest and vnméetest of a great nuÌ„ber was bold to take vpon me this enterprise partly to shew that the booke called the Admonition is not such but that it may easily be answered and especially to satisfie mine owne coÌ„science for I coÌ„sidered that if no man had taken vpon him the enuie of the coÌ„mon sort in withstanding the enterprises procéedings of the Anabaptists wheÌ„ they began in Germanie Anabaptisme had ouerrunne those Churches vtterly destroyed them These were the reasons that satisfied the former obiections and especiallye moued me to take vppon me this labour wherewith if I can also satisfie others I haue my desire if not yet haue I done my dutie and satisfied mine owne conscience And for asmuche as the matter toucheth the state of the whole Church of England I thought it most méete to dedicate this my booke rather vnto the same generally than to any one particuler member thereof protesting that if I haue affirmed any thing therein that by learning and good reasons may be proued erronious I will reforme the same for I wholly submit it to the rule of Gods worde and the iudgement of those that he learned discrete wise The Lord blesse the o deare spouse of Christ with the continuance of his Gospell of the Quenes Maiestie and of godlye peace and quietnesse Amen A briefe examination of the reasons vsed in the booke called an Admonition to the Parliamente FIrst in that booke the scripture is most vntollerably abused and vnlearnedly applyed quoted only in their margent to delude both such as for lacke of learning can not and suche as either for slouthfulnesse or some preiudicate opinion will not examine the same as I haue particulerly declared in my aunswere following Secondly their proofes consist especially of these arguments The first is ab eo quod est secundum quid ad id quod simplicitorest as such and such things were not in the Apostles time Ergo they ought not to be nowe Whiche kinde of argumente is very deceiptfull and the mother and welspring of many both olde and newe schismes of old as of them that called them selues Apostolicos and of the Aërians of new as of Anabaptists who considering neither the diuersitie of times concerning the externall ecclesiastical pollicie nor the true libertie of the christian religion in externe rytes and ceremonies in matters neither commaunded nor forbidden in Gods lawe nor the authoritie of Christian magistrates in
the Christian congregation concerning the same haue boldely enterprised to stirre vp many and heynous errours For if these reasons should take place the Apostles vsed it not Ergo it is not lawfull for vs to vse it or this either they did it Ergo we must needes do it then no Christians may haue any place to abide in they maye haue no Christian Princes no ministration of sacraments in Churches and suche like for the Apostles had no place to abide in they had no Christian Princes to gouerne them no churches to minister sacraments in c. Likewise we must haue al things common we must departe with al our possessions when we be conuerted to the Gospell baptise abroade in the fields minister the communion in priuate houses only be alwayes vnder the crosse and vnder Tyrants and such like For the Apostles had al thinges common departed from their possessions baptized abroade in fieldes ministred the communion in priuate houses were alwayes vnder persecutors and Tyrants c. 2. Another kind of argumente is much like vnto this and is taken ab authoritate negatinè which in matters of saluation and damnation holdeth when we reason ab authoritate scripturae from the authoritie of the scripture but not else For this argument it is not commaunded in the scripture to be done nor there expressed Ergo it ought not to be done is so far out of the way and so erronious that it is not tollerable for it taketh away the most parte of all due circumstances without the which either after one manner or other the very institutions of Christ cannot be obserued For how is it possible to receiue the holy Communion but either sitting standing knéelling walking or lying either at one time or other in the morning or at night before meate or after meate clothed or naked in this place or in that place c. and yet none of these circumstances are in scripture commaunded or by necessary collection may thereof be gathered the same is to be said of the obseruatioÌ„ of times of common prayers and other conuenient and necessarie orders in the Church If this argumente were good then all good lawes and ordinances made for the aduancing of true religion and establishing of good orders were to be abolished whiche were the very roote and welspring of stubbornesse obstinacie sedition disobedience and confusion 3. The third kind of argument is called petitio principij whiche is when a man frameth vnto himselfe principles of his owne deuise grounded neither vpon authoritie neither yet upon substantial reason and then vpon the same will conclude his purpose which is vit â—â—sissimum genâ—â— argumentands a very erronious kynde of reasoning as these men doo in vsing these two false principles the one when they say that to be inuented by an Antichristian Pope which was not so inuented the other when they say that nothing may be vsed in the Church of Christ which was inuented by the Pope or vsed in the Popes Churche which can not be true as in sundrie places of the boke I haue declared The selfe same reasons moued the Aërians to forsake the order of the Churche and to commaunde their Disciples to do the contrarie of that that the Church did We borrow good lawes of the Gentiles and we vse the Churches Belles Pulpits and many other things vsed of Papists c. 4. The fourthe kynde of reason is of negatiues by comparison as this Priestes and Ministers are to be known by their doctrine not by their apparel Ergo they ought not to haue distinct apparell from other men This argumente followeth not for negatives by comparison are not simplie to be vnderstanded but by the way coÌ„parison And therefore of the former sentence thus we may conclude that the apparell is not to be estéemed as a note of difference in comparison to learning doctrine and yet a note As when Paule sayth that Chryst sente him not to baptise but to preache the Gospell 1 Cor. 1. And God by his Prophete I wil have mercy and not sacrifice Ose. 6. and Mat. 9. 5. The fift is ab eo quod est non causam vt causam ponere vvhen that is taken for the cause of any thing vvhich is not the cause as when they condemne the booke of common prayer and a prescript forme of seruice bycause as they say it mainteineth an vnlerned or as they term it a reading ministerie wheÌ„ as the boke is not the cause of it neither yet a prescripte forme of prayer but either the parties themselues that be vnlearned or they that do admitte them or else both This kind of argument is vsuall in the Admonition There be other vnlearned and vnskilfull reasons vsed in this booke whiche may easily be discerned euen of children and therefore I here omit them Thus much I thought good generally to write which being duly considered the booke it selfe needeth no other kinde of confutation To the Christian Reader I Am not ignorant to what dangers especially of vncharitable slanderous tongs I haue made my selfe subiecte by taking vpon me this worke notwithstanding my reaconing is made and I have armed my selfe against the worst being taught so to do by the opprobrious speach of diuers who as busy bodies intermedling in other mens matters more than it becommeth them do therof iudge most vnchristianly and reporte most vntruly beleuing as partial Iudges whatsoeuer is reported howsoeuer falsely and vniustly But as I with all my harte for my parte forgiue them and wish vnto them more Christian hartes indifferent eares and charitable mouthes So do I exhorte thée Christian reader to abstaine from all suche rancor and other partiall and sinister affections in reading of this my booke And thinke of me as of one that to speake the truth to testifie his conscience to mainteyne the peace and quietnesse of the Churche to withstande erronious opinions or contentious doctrine will neither spare his laboure nor his fame and yet not so stiffely addicted to his owne opinion but that he can be contented to submitte hym selfe to better authoritie and reasons than he him selfe hath And I besée thée receyue this admonition at my hande Trie before thou trust beleue not lightly euery reporte as thou hast two eares so vse them both condemne no maÌ„ before he be heard abstaine from speaking euill of any wheÌ„ he is not present to make thée answere for that is a great iniurie respect not the person but the cause and let not euery pretenced zeale carrie thée headlong thou knowest not whether and suspende thy iudgement of this booke vntill thou hast aduisedly and indifferently redde the same Correction of faultes escaped in this booke In the ende of the Epistle dedicatorie for O deare spouse reade O deare spouse of Christ Folio 23. line 8. for est reade sunt Fol. 32. lin 34. for the trusteth reade he trusteth Fol. 33. lin 24. for are not come read are not scarce come Fol. 42. lin 20.
imprisonements banishmentes such like extremities yet is these poore mens cause neuer the worse nor these chalēgers the better nor God his hande the further of to linke in with his against them nor you christian brethren must neuer the rather without examination condemne them But thankfully take this taste which God by these treatises offreth you weigh them by the word of god and do your endeuor euery one in his calling to promote his cause And let vs al with more earnest prayer than wee are wont earnestly cōmend it to God his blessing and namely that it will please him by his spirite to lighten the heart of our most gratious soueraigne and the rest in authoritie to the benefite of his small flocke and the ouerthrowe of their proude enimies that godlinesse maye by them proceede in peace and God his glorie thorowe Jesus Christ be throughly aduaunced Whiche wee call God to witnesse is our onely laboure and suite And so presently we leaue you heartily beseeching God to graunt it Amen An answere to the Preface of the Admonition THESE TVVO treatises conteyned in this admonition as they be voyde of sounde learnyng so are they full of blynde affection and stuffed with vncharitable and vnchristian terms and phrases wherfore it is to bée feared that they procéede not of loue but of hatred not of zeale but of malice not of humilitie but of arrogancie not of myndes desirous to reforme but of stomackes séekyng to deforme and confounde that whiche is in due forme and order by lawfull authoritie established For what charitable zealous and humble spirite woulde so spitefully and slaunderously speake of their brethren whose doctrine is pure whose zeale is feruent whose suffering for the Gospel hath ben in time of triall comparable with any mans that nowe liueth who haue also paynfully taughte the worde of God in this realme and do at this day and by whose ministerie the Gospel hath taken roote and is come to that encrease that now God be thanked appeareth Surely these opprobrious termes proude generation tyrannous lordships vngracious cruel Popelike wicked raigne proude enimies c. applied to brethren procéede not from the humble and mylde spirite of GOD but from the proude and arrogante spirite of Sathan Therfore by this vnséemely preface it may appeare from what spirite the reste of thys admonition spryngeth Touchyng the crueltie and rigeure these men complayne of I shall néede to speake little béeing manyfeste to all that bée not with synister affections blynded that lacke of seueritie is the principall cause of their licentious libertie But who séeth not their hypocrisie whiche would make the worlde beléeue that they are persecuted when they be with too much lenitie punished for their vntollerable contempt of good lawes and other disordered dealings Naye suche is their peruersenesse or rather arrogancie that if they be debarred but of the least part of their will and desyre by and by they crie out of crueltie and persecution It is to be doubted what these men will do when persecution commeth in déede whiche now make so muche of a little or rather of nothing As for this great brag For how so euer learned and many they seeme to be they should and may in this realme fynde inowe to matche them and shame them too if they hold on as they haue begonne Satis arroganter dictum est And verifieth that to be true that is commonly spoken of these kinde of men that is that they contemne all other in comparison of themselues that they thinke thēselues only zealous only learned c. But it is possible they may be matched and I know no man of learning afrayde to encounter with them eyther by word or writing Touching the ministerie and gouernement of the Church what faults there is to be therin found we shall vnderstand when we come to their reasons God graunt vs humble and méeke spirites that godly vnitie may be maynteyned in the Churche One thing I must desire thée to note gentle reader wherin the follie of these men maruellously appeareth how they haue paynted the margent of their booke with quoting of scriptures as though al were Scripture they write when as in déede they abuse both the Scripture and thée For what one place of scripture is in all thys preface alledged to any purpose and yet howe many is there quoted To proue that wée muste reade these two Treatises without parcialitie or blinde affection here is noted in the margēt 1. Thess. 5. vers 21. James 1. James 2. The place to the Thessalonians is this Trie all things and keepe that vvhiche is good The place of the first of James is this VVherfore my deare brethren let euery man be svvifte to heare slovve to speake and slovve to vvrath And the seconde place of James is this My brethren haue not the faithe of our Lorde Iesus Christe in respecte of persons And to what purpose are these places alledged What proue they Or what néede is there to alledge them These Apostles in these places speake not of rayling libels but of hearing the word of God and iudging of matters of faithe according to the truth and not to the persons To proue that tyrannous lordship can not stand with Christs kingdom they alledge the .15 of Mat. and Luc. 16. The place in the 15. of Mat. vers 23. is this But he answered hir not a vvorde Then came to him his disciples and besought him saying Sende hir avvay for she cryeth after vs. In the sixtéenth of Luke it is thus Then he sayd vnto them ye are they vvhiche iustifie youre selues before men but God knovveth your hartes for that vvhiche is highly estemed among men is abhomination in the sight of god I would gladly know how their assertion and these two textes hang together I allowe not tyrannous Lordshyp to stande with Christes kingdome But it may well inough for any thyng in these two places to the contrarie Tyrannous Lordship is not estéemed among men but hated To proue that they whose authoritie is forbidden by Christe will haue their stroke without their fellowe seruauntes c. is quoted Math. 20. Math. 23. Mark. 10. Luke 22. In the .20 of Math. it is thus written Yee knowe that the lordes of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them c. In the .23 of Mathew But be ye not called Rabbi for one is your doctor or teacher to wit Christ. The places in Marke and Luke be all one with that in the 20. of Mathew The conclusion that is gathered of these places is very darke and generall they should◠haue declared who they be that haue this authoritie forbidden and what the authoritie is Touching these places alleaged in the 20. of Mat. 10. of Mar. 22. of Luke Musculus and diuers other learned men think that they extende not onely to the Apostles and men of the Clergie as we call them but to all Christians of what state soeuer they
that which is written in this booke is nothing else but Scripture it selfe They haue delt very subtilly to cote the places onely and not to set them downe in playne words for by this meanes they thinke that of the moste parte it shall neuer be vnderstanded howe vnaptly and to what small purpose they be alleaged This name Puritane is very aptely giuen to these men not bicause they be pure no more than were the Heretikes called Cathari but bicause they think them selues to be mundiores cateris more pure than others as Cathari dyd and seperate them selues from all other Churches and congregations as spotted and defyled Bicause also they suppose the Church which they haue deuised to be without all impuritie An answere to the admonition Admonition SEing that nothing in this mortall life is more diligently to be sought for and carefully to be looked vnto than the restitution of true religion reformation of Gods church it shall be your partes dearly beloued in this present Parliament assembled as muche as in you lieth to promote the same and to employ your whole labour and studie not onely in abandoning all Popish remnants bothe in ceremonies regiment but also in bringing in and placing in Gods churche those things onely which the Lord himselfe in his word cōmandeth Because it is not enough to take paynes in taking away euil but also to be occupied in placing good in the stead therof Now because many men see not all things and the worlde in this respect is maruellously blinded it hath bene thoughte good to prosfer to your godly considerations a true platforme of a Churche reformed to the ende that it beeing layd before your eyes to beholde the great vnlikenesse betweene it this our English church you may learne either with perfect hatred to detest the one and with singular loue to embrace and carefull endeuour to plant the other or else to be without excuse before the maiestie of oure God who for the discharge of our conscience and manifestation of his truth hath by vs reuealed vnto you at this present the sinceritie and simplicitie of his Gospell Not that you should either wilfully with stande or vngratiously tread the same vnder your feete for God doth not disclose his wyll to any suche end but that you should yet now at the length with al your mayne and might endeuour that Chryst whose easie yoke and lyghte burthen we haue of long time cast of from vs mighte rule and reigne in his Church by the scepter of his worde onely Aunswere I Will not aunswere words but matter nor bare affirmations or negations but reasons and therfore in as few words as I can I will comprehende many lines But before I enter into their reasons I thinke it not amisse to examine that assertion which is the chiefe and principall grounde so farre as I can gather of their Booke that is that those things onely are to bée placed in the Churche which the Lorde him selfe in his worde commaundeth As though they shoulde say nothing is to be tollerated in the Churche of Chryste touching either doctrine order ceremonies discipline or gouernement except it he expressed in the worde of god And therfore the most of their argumentes in this booke be taken ab authoritate negatiuè which by the rules of Logique proue nothing at all It is moste true that nothing ought to be tolerated in the Churche as necessarie vnto saluation or as an article of faith except it be expresly conteined in the worde of God or may manifestly therof be gathered and therfore we vtterly condemne reiect Transubstantiation the sacrifice of the Masse the authoritie of the bishop of Rome woorshipping of Images c. And in this case an argumente taken Ab authoritate Scripturae negatiuè is most strong As for example It is not to be found in Scripture that the Bishop of Rome ought to be the head of the Church and therfore it is not necessarie to saluation to beléeue that he ought to be the head of the Churche c. It is also true that nothing in ceremonies order discipline or gouernement in the Churche is to be suffered béeing against the worde of God And therfore wee reiect all ceremonies wherein there is any opinion to saluation woorshipping of God or merite As créeping to the crosse holy breade holy water holy candle c. But that no ceremonie order discipline or kynde of gouernement may be in the Churche except the same be expressed in the worde of God is a great absurditie and bréedeth many inconueniences The Scripture hath not prescribed any place or time wherin or when the Lords Supper shoulde be celebrated neyther yet in what manner The Scripture hath not appoynted what tyme or where the congregation shall méete for common prayer and for the hearing of the worde of God neyther yet any discipline for the correcting of suche as shall contemne the same The scripture hath not appoynted what daye in the wéeke should be moste méete for the Sabboth day whether Saterday whiche is the Iewes Sabboth or the day now obserued which was appointed by the church The Scripture hath not determined what forme is to be vsed in Matrimonie what woordes what prayers what exhortations The Scripture speaketh not one woorde of standing sitting or knéelyng at the Communion of méetyng in Churches fieldes or houses to heare the word of God of preaching in pulpets chaires or otherwise of baptizing in fontes in basons or riuers openly or priuatly at home or in the churche euery day in the wéeke or on the Sabboth day only And yet no man as I suppose is so simple to thinke that the Church hathe no authoritie to take order in these matters I pray you what mente Sainct Paule in the .1 Corinth 14. after he had prescribed certayne orders vnto them to bée obserued in the Churche thus generally to conclude Omnia decenter ordine fiant Lette all things be doone decently and in order Dothe hée not there giue vnto them authoritie to make orders in the Churche so that all thynges hée doone in order and decently The best interpreters doo vnderstande this as a general rule giuen vnto the churche to examine hir traditions and constitutions by And therefore without all doubte their iudgemente is that the Churche hath authoritie in external things to make orders and appoynte lawes not expressed in the woorde of GOD so that thys rule of the Apostle bée obserued Nowe if eyther godly Councels or auncient fathers were any thing at all regarded of these men as they be not suche is their arrogancie this controuersie mighte soone be decided For the most auncient fathers and best learned as Iustinus Martyr Irenaeus Tertulian Cypriā and other do expresly declare that euen from the Apostles tyme the Churche hath always had authoritie in suche matters and hath obserued diuers orders ceremonies not once mencioned in the worde of God.
That notable learned father Augustine hathe diuers sayings touching this matter worthie to be noted In his Epistle ad Casulanum 86 he sayeth thus In his rebus de quibus nihil certi statuit scriptura diuina mos populi Dei vel instituta maiorum pro lege tenenda est In those thyngs vvherein the holie Scripture hath determined no certaintie the custome of the people of God and the traditions or decrees of our forfathers are to be holden for a lavve Whereby it is manifeste that those things maye be reteyned in the Churche whiche are not expressed in the Scripture In the same Epistle he reporteth the aunswere that Ambrose made vnto him béeing demaunded whether it were lawfull to faste on the Sabboth day or not to fast séeing that among the Churches there was some diuersitie in this pointe Quando hiâ— sum saith he non ieiuno Sabbato quando Romae sum ieiâ—no Sabbato ad quamcunque ecclesiam veneritis eius morem seruate si pati scandalum non vultis aut fâ—cere VVhen I am here I fast not on the Sabboth when I am at Rome I doe fast on the Sabboth and to vvhat Churche soeuer you come keepe the custome thereof if you vvill neyther suffer offence nor giue offence The whole Epistle is woorthie of reading That whiche hée wryteth in his Epistle Ad Ianuarium .118 is a moste playne declaration of hys Iudgement in this matter Illa autem quae non scripta sed tradita custodimus quae quidem toto terrarum orbe obseruantur dantur intelligi vel ab ipsis Apostolis vel plenarijs concilijs quorum est in ecclesia saluberrima authoritas coÌ„mendata atque statuta retineri sicuti quod Domini passio resurrectio ascensio in coelum aduentus de coelo Spiritus sancti anniuersaria solennitate celebraÌ„tur si quid aliud tale occurrerit quod seruatur ab vniuersa quacunque se diffundit ecclesia Those things vvhich be not vvritten but kept by tradition vvhich are obserued thorovv the vvhole vvorlde are to be vnderstanded either to be deliuered vnto vs from the Apostles themselues or else decreed by generall Councels vvhose authoritie is greate in the Churche as that vvee yearely with solemnitie celebrate the passion of the Lord and his resurrection his ascension into heauen and the coÌ„ming of the holy Ghoste and if there be any other thing that is obserued of the vvhole Churche And againe Quod neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's iniungitur indifferenter est habendum pro eorum inter quos viuitur societate seruandum est That vvhiche is enioyned being neyther against faith nor good manners is to be counted indifferent and to be obserued as the societie of those vvith vvhome vve liue requireth In the same epistle answering this question whether vpon the Thursday before Easter the Lordes Supper should be celebrated in the morning or at night bicause Christ did institute this sacrament and deliuer the same to his disciples after Supper he giueth these three rules worthie to be noted the first is this If the holie Scripture prescribe any thing to be done there is no doubt but that must be obserued as it is there prescribed The second is this That if any thing be vniuersally obserued of the vvhole Churche not repugnant to the Scriptures for so he meaneth not to keepe that or to reason of that is madnesse The thirde If it be not vniuersally obserued but diuersly in diuers Churches Faciat quisque quâ—d in â—a ecclesia in qua venit inuenerit â–ª Lette euery man doe as hee findeth in that church in to the vvhich he commeth modâ— non sit contra fidem aut contra mores â–ª So that it bee not against faith or good manners For so he â—ddeth In the same Epistle againe he sayth That the Lorde hath not in scripture declared in vvhat order and manner his Supper should be celebrated but left that to his disciples And in his hundred and nintéenth Ad Ianuarium In those things sayth he that be diuersly obserued in diuers places this rule as most profitable is to be kepte that those things vvhiche be not against faithe neyther good manners and make something to exhorte vnto a better life vvheresoeuer they are instituted vvee ought not onely not to disallovve them but to prayse them and to follovv them By all these places of this learned father it is euidente that it hathe bene receyued from tyme to tyme as a certayne trouth that the Churche of Christe hathe authoritie to ordeyn and constitute as shall be necessarie in those thyngs before of me rehersed For a further proofe héereof I coulde alledge that auncient and learned father Iustinus Martyr in his seconde Apologie pro Christianis and in his booke of questions Tertullian in his booke De corona militis Basile also in his .63 Epistle written to the mynisters in Neocesaria â–ª Eusebius libr. 5. Ecclesiasti histor cap. 25. 26. and diuers other but I omitte them for breuitie sake Neyther doe I alledge these learned Fathers bicause I thynke their authoritie any thing at all preuayleth with the authours of the Libell but foâ— the wyse discréete humble and learned whose humilitie and wisedom will not suffer them to despise the iudgements of so learned and godly fathers But I trust maister Caluines iudgement will wey somethyng with them who in his Institutions Cap. 13. Sects 31. C. 32. speakyng of Traditions saythe on this sorte Bycause the LORD hath bothe faythfully and plainly comprehended and declared in the holie â—criptures the vvhole summe of true righteousnesse and all the partes of the true vvoorshippyng of hym and vvhat so euer is necessarie vnto saluation therefore in those things he is only to be hearde as a maister or teacher But bycause in external discipline and ceremonies he vvould not particularly prescribe what we ought to folow bicause he foresaw that this depended vppon the state and condition of the tyme neyther did iudge one forme or manner to be agreable to all ages here we must haue respect to those generall rules vvhiche he gaue that according to them might bee examined suche things as the necessitie of the Churche requireth to be commaunded for order and decencie Fynally bycause in these thinges he hathe expressed nothing for that they are neyther necessarie to saluation and may be diuersly applied to the edifying of the church accordyng to the manner and custome of euery countreye and age Therefore as the commoditie of the Church requireth and as shall be thought coÌ„uenient both the olde may be abrogated and new appointed I graunt that vvee muste not rashely nor often nor for euery light cause make innouations But what hurteth and vvhat edifyeth Charitie vvill beste iudge vvhyche if wee wyll suffer too bee the moderatrix all shall bee safe and vvell Novve it is the office of Christian people vvith a free conscience vvithoute Superstition vvith a godlie mynde and
readie and vvyllyng to obeye to obserue those thinges vvhyche are appoynted accordyng to this rule not to contemne them nor negligentely to omitte them so farre off ought they to be from breaking them openly through disdayne and contumacie But thou vvylte saye vvhat libertie of conscience can there bee in so precyse and straighte obseruyng of them Truly the libertie of conscience maye vvell stande vvith it yf vve shall consider that these Lavves and decrees to the vvhiche vve are bounde bee not perpetuall or suche as are not to bee abrogated but onely externall rudimentes of mans infirmities vvhereof notvvithstanding vve all stande not in neede yet vvee all vse them bycause one of vs is mutually bounde to an other to nourishe loue and Charitie among oure selues This vve maye learne in the examples vsed before VVhat dothe religion consiste in a vvomans vayle that by no meanes shee maye goe abroade bare headed Or is the commaundemente touching hir silence suche as it maye not be broken vvithout vvickednesse or is there any mysterie in kneeling or in burying the dead that may not be omitted vvithout great offence no truly For if such hast be required of a woman to helpe hir neighbour that shee can haue no leysure to couer hir head shee dothe not offende thoughe shee runne oute bare headed And there is a tyme and place vvhen and vvhere it is as meete for hir to speake as it is else where to holde hir peace Him also to praye standyng whiche beeing letted vvith some disease can not kneele there is nothyng forbiddeth To be short it is better in tyme to burye the dead than to tarrye for a vvynding sheete or some to carrie him vntill he stinke aboue the grounde But there is somevvhat euen in those thynges vvhiche the custome of Religion lavves and decrees humanitie it selfe and the rule of modestie vvilleth vs to doe and to take heede of vvherein if vve shall thorough ignoraunce and forgetfulnesse offende there is no synne committed But if thorough contempte or contumacie it is to be reproued In lyke maner it skilleth not vvhat dayes be appointed vvhat houres vvhat manner of places touchyng the buyldyng vvhat Psalmes are to bee song thys daye or that daye And yet there muste certayn dayes be appoynted and certaine houres and a place meete to receiue all if vve haue any respect to keepe vnitie and peace For vvhat confusion vvere it and of hovve greate contentions and bravvlyngs the seede and cause yf euery man as hee listeth myghte alter and chaunge those things whiche pertayne to the common state Seyng that it vvoulde neuer be brought to passe that one thyng coulde please all men if suche matters vvere lefte indifferente and committed to euery mannes arbitremente novve if anye man repyne or grudge and will heere seeme vvyser than it behoueth him let him consider by vvhat reason he can excuse his vvayvvardnesse to the Lorde Notvvithstanding that saying of Saincte Paule muste satisfye vs VVee haue no custome to contende neyther the Churches of God. Thus farre Caluine In whyche woordes wée haue these thyngs to consyder Fyrst that GOD hath in Scripture fully and playnely comprehended all those things that be necessarie to saluation Secondly that in Ceremonies and externall discipline hée hath not in Scripture particularly determined any thyng but lefte the same to hys Churche to make or abrogate to alter or contynue to adde or take awaye as shall be thoughte from tyme to tyme moste conuenient for the presente state of the Churche so that nothing be doone againste that generall rule of Saincte Paule 1. Cor. 14. Lette all things be doone decently and in order Thirdly that it is the dutie of a Christian man withoute superstition willingly to obey such constitutions not to contemne them not to neglect them muche lesse stubbornly and arrogantly to breake them Fourthly that the obseruyng of them taketh not libertie from the conscience bicause they be not made to be perpetuall and inuiolable but to be altered as tyme occasion and necessitie requireth Fifthely that all oughte to obeye suche ordinaunces for charitie sake thoughe all stande not in néede of them Sixthly that if a man do violate them by ignoraunce or forgetfulnesse he doth not offende if by contempte or stubbornesse he doth greatly offende Seuenthly that confusion which is to suffer euery man to doe what he list is the séede of contention and brauling Last of all that the true Ministers of God be not contentious neither yet the Churches of God. These things among other I thought good to note out of master Caluines words which if they were diligently considered such contentions might soone be ended Of the same iudgement in this matter is master Bucer as it apeareth in his Epistle to master Alasco These be his words If you vvill not admitte suche libertie and vse of vesture to this pure and holy Churche bicause they haue no commaundement of the Lorde nor example of it I do not see hovve you can graunt to any Churche that it may celebrate the Lordes Supper in the morning and in an open Churche especially consecrated to the Lorde that the Sacrament may be distributed to men kneeling or standing yea to vvomen asvvel as to men For vve haue receyued of these things neither commaundement of the Lorde nor any example yea rather the Lorde gaue a contrarie example For in the euening and in a priuate house he did make his Supper and distributed the Sacramentes and that to men onely and sitting at the table Hac Bucâ—rus But to ende this matter is it not as lawfull for a godly Prince with the aduise and consent of godly and learned Byshoppes and other of the wysest to make orders in the Churche and lawes Ecclesiasticall as it is for euery priuate man to vse what maner and forme of seruice he liste and other order and discipline in hys owne parishe which these men séeke and striue to do An examination of the places of Scripture alleaged in this portion of the admonition TO proue that nothing in this mortall life is more diligently to be sought for carefully to be looked vnto than the restitution of true religion and reformation of Gods Churche there is noted 2. Reg. 23. 2. Chron. 17. 2. Chron. 29.30.31 Psalm 132. Math. 21. Iohn 2. In the first place it is declared howe Iosiah after he had founde the booke of the Lawe reformed the Churche In the seconde place Iehosaphat tooke away the high places and groues out of Iuda c. In the. 29.30.31 of the. 2. Chron. is described the dooings of Ezechias in repayring the temple and reforming Religion c. In the. 132. Psalme it is declared with what care Dauid went about to build the temple of God after that he was once established in his kingdome In the. 21. of Math. Iesus went into the temple and caste out all them that solde and boughte in the temple c. the like he did in the seconde of Iohn All this is
confessed to be true and no man denieth it And I pray God make vs thankefull for the Quéenes maiestie who hath not bene slacke in this poynt but hath lyke a vertuous religious and godly Prince in the very entring into hir reigne notwithstanding the multitude of hir aduersaries bothe at home and abroade abolished all superstition and restored the simplicitie of the Gospell But these men alleage these places to the discredite of this reformation and of the whole gouernemente of this Churche Howe aptly and howe truely let godly wise and learned men iudge To proue that these things onely are to be placed in Gods Churche which God him selfe in his worde commaundeth is noted the fourth and the twelfth of Deut. Ye shall put nothing to the vvord that I commaunde you neither shall you take any thing therefrom c. And in the other place VVhatsoeuer I coÌ„maunde you take heede you do it thou shalt put nothing thereto nor take oughte therefrom God in the olde lawe to his people prescribed perfecte and absolute lawes not onely morall and iudicial but ceremonial also neither was there the least thing to be done in the Churche omitted in the lawe And therfore for them at that time and during that state it was not lawfull to adde any thing nor to take any thing away no not in ceremonies or other ciuill lawes nowe in the time of the Gospell God hath left vnto his Churche expressed in his worde a perfect rule of fayth and maners and sufficient to saluation and cursed is he that shall adde any thing to it or take any thing from it in that behalfe for therein it is perfect and absolute But as he hath lefte the Iudiciall lawe to the discretion of the Magistrate to adde thervnto or take therfrom or alter and chaunge the same so that no lawe be made agaynst the rule of fayth and good maners expressed in the worde of God so hath he lefte authoritie vnto his Churche to make lawes and appoynte orders and ceremonies as shall from time to time be thought most expedient and profitable for the same so that nothing be done contrarie to his worde or repugnaunt to the same And this authoritie hath the Church vsed euen froÌ„ the Apostles tyme as it is manyfest both by the Scriptures Acto 6. Acto 15. 1. Cor. 11. and other Ecclesiasticall stories and auncient fathers as is before by me proued But to come to the words of Deut. themselues what is it to adde to the worde of God or to take from it truely to thinke otherwise or teache otherwise of God than he hath in his word reuealed those take from the word that beléeue lesse thaÌ„ in the word is expressed those adde to the word first which teach or decrée any thing either in matters of fayth or ceremonies contrary to the worde Secondly those that make any thing necessarie vnto saluation not conteyned in the worde Thirdly suche as make any religion or opinion of merite in any thing that they them selues haue inuented besides the worde of god Last of all they adde to the worde which forbid that for a thing of it selfe vnlawfull which Gods worde doth not forbid and make that sinne which Gods word doth not make sinne But suche as truely and sincerely embrace the worde of God and admit nothing contrary vnto it if in gouernement and ceremonies without any wicked or superstitious opinion they appoint or retaine suche as they know not to be agaynst the worde of God and profitable for the present state of the Churche can not truely be sayde to adde any thing to the worde of God or take any thing from it though the same be not expressed in the worde The other places noted in this margent as Psal. 37. Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 2. and the rest are not alleaged to proue any thing in controuersie but onely without iudgement placed in the margente to make a shewe howe aptely they be applied I leaue to the consideration of the diligent Reader This one thing I can not but maruell at that these fellowes so please them selues in the platforme of their Churche and attribute so muche therevnto that they exhorte nay rather charge the court of Parliament with perfect hatred to detest the present state of the Churche and with singuler loue to embrace that which they prescribe in this booke and so moue them rather to this perfect hatred of vs and singuler loue of them selues they vse the authoritie of the 31. and 39. Psalme In the one Dauid sayth that he hath hated them that giue themselues to decâ—pfull vanities bicause the trusteth in the Lorde In the other speaking of the contemners of God of wicked and bloudy men of such as blaspheme God and be his enimies he sayth I hate theÌ„ vvith an vnfained hatred c. As though all suche as like or allows of the present state of the Churche of this Realme of Englande gaue them selues to deceytfull vanities were contemners of God wicked and bloudy men blasphemers of God and his enimies I will not aggrauate this blasphemie of theirs let Prince nobles and all other louers of God and his word consider diligently this spirite and in time preuent the burning malice of the same no Turke no Iew no Papist could possibly haue spoken more spightfully of this Churche and state but suche is the spiritâ— of arrogancie To the like effect they alleage the .15 of Iohn 1. Tim. 3. Mat. 7. and .11 as though they onely had the worde of God and were of the Churche and we contemners reiecters of the same O where is humilitie Truly if these men be not by discipline bridled they wil work more harme to this church thaÌ„ euer the Papist did Admonition May it therefore please your wisdomes to vnderstande we in Englande are so farre of from hauing a Churche rightly reformed according to the prescripte of Gods worde that as yet we are not come to the outwarde face of the same For to speake of that wherein all consent whervpon all writers accorde The outward marks wherby a true christiaÌ„ church is knowne are preaching of the word purely ministring of the sacrameÌ„ts sincerely Ecclesiastical discipline which consisteth in admonition correcting of faults seuerely Touching the first namely the ministers of the word although it must be confessed that the substance of doctrine by many deliuered is sound good yet herein it fayleth that neither the ministers therof are according to Gods worde proued elected called or ordeyned nor the function in such sort so narrowly looked vnto as of right it ought and is of necessitie required Answere The proposition that these libellers would proue is that we in Englande are so farre from hauing a churche rightly reformed according to the prescript of Gods word that as yet we are not come to the outwarde face of the same For proofe hereof they vse this argument There be thrée outward marks wherby a true christiaÌ„ Church is
knowen preaching of the word purely ministring of the sacrameÌ„ts sincerely Ecclesiastical discipline which consisteth in admonition and correction of faults seuerely But this Church of England for so in effect they say is voyde of all these Ergo it hath not so muche as the external face of a Church To proue that the word of God is not preached truely they reason on this sorte The ministers of the worde are not according to Gods word proued elected called or ordeyned nor the function in such sort so narrowly looked vnto as of right it ought is of necessitie required And therfore the word of God not truly preached Here thanks be to God they alleage not one article of faith or poynt of doctrine nor one péece of any substaunce to be otherwise taught and allowed of in this church for not euery mans â—olly is to be ascribed to the whole church than by the prescript worde of God may be iustified neither can they Now how this conclusion followeth though the antecedent were true lef those iudge that be learned The ministers are not rightely proued and elected c. Ergo the worde of God is not truly preached howe wicked soeuer the man is howsoeuer he intrude himself into the ministerie yet may he preach the true worde of God for the truth of the doctrine doth not in any respecte depende vpon the goodnesse or euilnesse of the man I pray you howe were you and some other of your adherents called elected c. But to come to the purpose They would proue that the ministers of the worde in this Churche of Englande are not according to Gods worde proued elected called or ordeyned What force and pithe is in their arguments shall appeare in the seuerall answeres to euery one of theÌ„ This one thing I muste let you vnderstande that these men séeke to defaco this Churche of Englande by the selfe same grounds that the Papists do although by another kinde of proofe For what haue the Papists else to say but that we haue no Ministers bicause they â—e 〈◊〉 rightly called and so consequently no worde no sacraments no discipline no Churche And certainly if it were well examined I beléeue it woulde fall out that the authors of this booke haue conspired with the Papistes to ouerthrowe if they could the state bothe of this Church and Realme howsoeuer subtilly they séeme to detest Papistrie But now to their reasons The first is this For wheras in the old church a triall was had bothe of their abilitie to enstructe and of their godly conuersation also nowe by the letters commendatorie of some one man noble or other tag and rag learned and vnlearned of the basest sort of the people to the slaunder of the gospel in the mouthes of the aduersaries are freely receyued It is true that in the olde Churche tryall was had of their abilitie to instruct and of their godly conuersation But the place in the margent alleaged oute of the fyrst Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles maketh nothing for that purpose béeing therein no mention at all of any triall made either of learning or maners but onely of presenting two and of praying and casting of lottes And master Caluine in his Institutions sayth playnely that out of this place of the Actes and example there can be no certayne rule gathered of electing and choosing Ministers for as that ministerie was extraordinarie so was the calling also Reade master Caluine and you shall soone see howe little this place so ofte in this margent coted maketh for that purpose for the which it is coted In the sixt of the Acts mention is made of Deacons onely whome you will not allowe to be ministers of the worde and therefore this place serueth not your turne neither is there any thing spoken of any tryall but only they are willed to looke out among them seauen men of honest reporte and full of the holy Ghost and wisedome to be appoynted Deacons The rule of sainct Paule in the .1 Timo. 3. and Tit. 1. is to be followed And the Booke of ordering Ministers and Deacons sette foorth and allowed by this Churche of Englande requireth that who soeuer is to be admitted into any order of the ministerie shoulde so be tryed examined and proued bothe for learning and life as sainct Paule there requireth Reade the Booke with indifferencie and iudgement and thou canst not but greatly commende it If any man neglect his duetie in that poynt his faulte muste not bée ascribed to the rule appoynted neyther yet to the whole Churche Is the lawe euill bicause some Lawyers in their office swarue from it This is a fallation a non causa ad causam Agayne if some bée admitted into the ministerie eyther voyde of learning or lewde in lyfe are all the rest for their sake to be condemned Or is this a good argument some bee admitted into the ministerie without trial therfore none is lawfully admitted into the ministerie or some ministers be vnlearned and euill Ergo there is none good I thinke you wil not denie but that there is now within this Church of Englande as many learned godlie graue wise and woorthy ministers of the word as there is in any one realme or particular Church in all Christendome or euer hath bene heretofore Touching letters commendatorie of some one man noble or other it may bée that the parties whiche gyue these letters be of that zeale learning and godlynesse that their particular testimonie ought to be better credited than some other subscribed with an hundred hands And I thinke there is bothe noble men and other who may better be trusted in that poynt than a great number of parishes in Englande whiche consist of rude and ignorant men easily moued to testifie any thing And in many places for the most parte or altogether drowned in Papistrie I knowe no reason to the contrarie and I sée no scripture alledged why one learned godly and wise mans testimonie may not be receyued in such a case and yet the booke expresseth no such thing but requireth due examination of learning and sufficient testimonial of conuersation and giueth libertie to any one particular man to obiect any crime against any such as are to be ordered and willeth that the partie accused be kept from the ministerie vntill he haue cléered himself of the crimes obiected If tag and rag be admitted learned and vnlearned it is the fault of some not of all nor of the lawe And if they were called and elected according to your fantasie there would some créepe in as euil as any be nowe and woorse too You say that there be admitted into the ministerie of the basest sorte of the people I knowe not what you meane by the basest sorte This I am sure of that the ministerie is not now bound to any one tribe as it was to the tribe of Leui in Ieroboams tyme Now none is secluded from that function of any degrée state
flocke neuerthelesse howsoeuer you proue it true it is that if he be a Pastor he must haue a certen flocke for therein doth a Pastor differ from the reste of the degrées of mâ—nisters in Chrystes church mentioned in that fourth chapter to the Ephesians But you must learne that there be not onely Pastors in the Church but also Apostles Prophets Euangelistes Doctors Ephe. 4. 1. Cor. 12. who all are called Ministers and haue their place in the Churche of Chryst as it shall be proued if you denie it You say also that euery flocke had hys shephearde or else shepheardes And to proue that one flocke had mo shepheards you cite Acts. 14. which maketh nothing for your purpose yet I denie not but one flocke may haue mo Pastors for I sée nothing in the worde of God agaynst it To be short you say now they go fisking from place to place and couetously ioyne liuing to liuing c. And beeing but one shephearde haue many flockes If you meane by fisking from place to place suche as preache in diuers places and not in their owne cures onely your phrase of fisking is too lighte and scurrilous when you alledge any reason why men may not go from place to place to preache where they thinke it necessarie you shal either be aunswered or yeelded to In the meane time I thinke it agreable bothe to Gods worde and conscience Agaynst couetously ioyning of liuing to liuing you alledge the fifte of Esay which is farre from your purpose for the Prophet speaketh there of such as oppresse the poore and will not suffer them to haue a place to dwell in Yet I do not allowe suche as couetously ioyne liuing to liuing of what kinde or degrée of men soeuer they be But I sée no cause why one good and diligent Pastor may not rather be credited with mo flockes than a slouthfull vnskilfull or negligent with one You thinke I suppose that there be diuers parishes in Englande whiche mightâ— be ioyned in one and so committed to one man and why may they not be so in lyke maner when they be distincte For who deuided paryshes and who hath authoritie to ioyne them Dyd not Dionisius a Monke and Pope of Rome For it is thus written of him Tom. 1. conci Dionisius Monachus Papa presbiteris Ecclesâ—as diuisit caemiteria â–ª parochiasque Dioeceses constituit Dionisius a Monke and Pope deuided to Preestes Churches and Churcheyardes and appoynted parishes and dioces I speake not this to encourage any man to take more vppon him than with a good conscience he may well discharge And I woulde wishe you to abstayne from iudging to farre when you sée a man that hath mo liuings vse him selfe vprightly and carefully in them all and otherwise profitably to the whole Churche The tenth Then the ministers were preachers now bare readers And if any be so wel disposed to preach in their owne charges they may not without my Lords licence Your places of Scripture alleaged to proue that Ministers were then Preachers proue not that all were then Preachers The place in the .2 to the Philip. 20. verse is this For I haue no man like minded vvho vvil faythfully care for your matters And in the .25 verse But I suppose it necessarie to sende my brother Epaphroditus to you my companion in labour and fellovve souldiour euen your messanger and he that ministred vnto me suche things as I vvanted Coloss. 1. verse .7 As ye also learned of Epaphras our deare fellovv seruaunt vvhich is for you a faythfull minister of Chryst. Quorsum haec How proue these places that al ministers then preached That of Luke ca. 9. proueth aswel that they cured diseases as that they preached and therefore oute of that place you mighte aswell conclude that all ministers oughte to be curers of sickenesses aswell as preachers This I write onely to let you vnderstande your vanitie and ignorance in quoting so many Scriptures to so small purpose I wishe that euery minister were a preacher but that béeyng vnpossible as the state is nowe I sée not howe you can condemne reading ministers séeyng reading is necessarie in the Churche and faythe commeth aswell by readyng the Scriptures in the booke as by rehearsing of them without booke In the 31. of Deuter. it is thus written Leges verba legis huius coram omni Israel c. Thou shalt reede the vvords of this booke before al Israel c. S. Paule saith in the .15 to the Rom QuaecuÌ„que scripta sunt c. vvhatsoeuer is vvritteÌ„ c. But I neuer heard reading of the scripture reading of prayers reading of Homilies taken out of the scripture condemned but only by the authors of this boke and by the Zuinfildians You here fynde fault that if a preacher be disposed to preache in his cure he may not doe it withoute my Lordes licence Where the worde of God is professed and Christian Magistrates gouerne there it is meete that no man should take vppon him any function excepte he be by the magistrate â–ª to whome it doth apperteyne therevnto admitted And for as muche as there be alwayes in the Churche hypocrites heretikes schismatikes and other euill disposed persons whiche studie for nothyng more than to disquiet the state of the Churche and to occupie the people with their factions it is necessarie that none should be admitted to preache in any place without hée be thervnto licenced by the Bishop who ought to haue a diligent care in that matter I suppose you are not of that mynde that men maye now in this Church vnder christian magistrates preach without licence It hath always ben the opinion of wise learned and godly men that since the apostles time none were ordinarily called to the office of preaching but such as were called of God by man onely Anabaptistes and some other sect of heretikes teache the contrarie The eleuenth In those dayes knowne by voyce learning and doctrine nowe they muste be discerned from other by popish and antichristian apparell as cappe gowne tippet c. To proue that in those dayes ministers were knowne by voyce learning and doctrine you cite the ninth of the first of Samuell and the .26 of Mathew In all that ninth chapter of Samuell there is not one worde that maketh for this purpose except you meane this that when Saule asked of Samuell where the Séers house was Samuel aunswered agayne that he was the Séer Iâ— this be to be knowne by voyce learning and doctrine the ignorantest mynister that is may soone be knowne by his voyce lerning and doctrine for if you aske him where is such a man he can answere you I am he In the .26 of Mathew the first place verse .48 is this Novv he that betrayed hym had giuen them a token saying VVhosoeuer I shall kisse that is he laye holde on him The multitude that came with Iudas knewe Chryste by Iudas kissyng of hym therforâ— in those days ministers were
known by voyce learning and doctrine the seconde place in that chapter alleâ—ged verse .73 is this They that stode by sayde vnto Peter surely thou arte also one of them For euen thy speeche bevvrayeth thee Peter was suspected by his spéeche to be a Galilean and therefore one of Christes apostles Ergo a mynister was then knowne by voyce learning and doctrine You may as well of that place gather thus Peter preached not Chryste then but denyed hym Ergo a mynister must be knowne by denying of Chryst. Lorde God what dare not these men alledge for theyr purpose I knowe that the chiefe tokens whereby a mynister oughte to be knowne is doctryne and learnyng But you childyshly abuse the Scripture and playe wyth the same Nowe you say ministers must be discerned from other by Popishe and Antichrystian apparell as cappe gowne tippet c. doe you thinke that bycause a minister ought to be knowne by his voyce learning and doctrine therefore he maye not be also knowne by his apparell Iohn the Baptist had peculiar apparel and was knowne by it Christe had distinct apparell from other for hys coate had neuer a seame Eusebius sayth that Sainct Iohn the Apostle ware on his head a leafe or thinne plate lyke vnto a Bishops miter But what if none of the Prophetes what if none of the Apostles whiche you are not able to proue eyther of the prophets or apostles were knowne by their apparel May not therefore Christian magistrates in Christian common weales for order and decencie appoynt a seuerall kinde of apparell as well to mynisters as to other states of men â—udges Sergeantes Aldermen and Citizens are knowne by their apparell and why may not ministers be so lykewise are they not vnder subiection be they not subiect to ciuile lawes and ordinances ought they not to obey their gouernors in all things not against the worde of God If you doubte whether a particuler kynde of apparell differing from the laye men were euer appoynted for ministers in the Churche before the Popes tyrannye and whether in these dayes it maye bee appoynted in refourmed Churches or no heare the iudgement of mayster Bulliâ—ger and mayster Gualter in an Epistle written by them to mayster N. and mayster M. Theyr woordes be these That in the auncient Churche there vvas a particuler fashion of apparell for Priestes it appereth in the Ecclesiasticall historie of Theodoret. libr. 2. cap. 27. and of Socrat. libr. 6. cap. 22 No man is ignorant vvhich hathe but lightly read ouer the monumentes of the auncient fathers but that the ministers vsed a cloake in their seruice And therefore I sayde before that the diuersitie of garmentes had not his originall of the Pope Eusebius citeth out of the auncient vvriters that saincte Iohn the Apostle vvare on his head a leafe or thin plate like vnto a Bishops miter Pontius Diaconus vvitnesseth of saint Cyprian the martyr that vvhen he offered his necke to the executioner he first gaue him his cap and the Deacon his vpper garment and so stoode apparelled in vvhite linnen Moreouer Chrysostome maketh mention of vvhite apparell of ministers Hitherto Bullinger and Gualter Peter Martyr likewise in an Epistle written to maister Hoper sayth on this sorte I vvill not graunte that these diuersities of vestures haue their beginnings of the Pope for so muche as I reade in the Ecclesiasticall historie hovve that Iohn the Apostle vvore at Ephesus vvhere he dvvelled a Bishops apparell terming it Petalum seu lamina Pontificalis As touching saincte Cyprian the holie martyr Pontius the deacn vvriteth that a little before he should be beheaded he gaue vnto him that vvas appoynted to behead him his vesture called Birrus after hee had put it of and to the deacons he gaue his other vesture called Dalmatica and so stoode in linnen Chrysostome maketh mention of the vvhite vesture of the ministers of the Churche Haec ille Socrates also in the seconde booke of his Ecclesiasticall historie saith that the father of Eustathius being bishop of Cesarea did depriue the sayd Eustathius his son beyng a préest of his place and dignitie bicause he wore apparell not comly for a préest to wear nor agréeable to his order Therefore it is certaine that ministers euen from the Apostles tyme haue had a distinct and seuerall kynde of apparell from other men But cappe gowne tippet c. You saye is Popishe and Antichristian This is only sayd and not proued If you call it Popishe and Antichristian bicause it was first inuented by an Antichristian Pope It is first to be considered whether that be true or no. Then if it be true whether euery thing so inuented is of necessitie to be abolished It is certain that this apparel of ministers which you fynde your selues so muche gréeued with was appoynted long before the Churche of Rome declined from the puritie of Chrystes religion for Stephanus bishoppe of Rome who liued the yeare of our Lorde .256 is sayde to be the first which did appoynt this kinde of apparell for ministers neither are you able to shew that any antichristian Pope inuented the same But admit it were so that this apparell was eyther borowed of the Iewes or taken from the Gentiles or inuented vsed by some Antichristian Pope yet it followeth not but that the same may be wel vsed of Christians in the Churche of Christ. Augustine in his epistle ad Publicolam hath this notable saying Et cum templa idola luci si quid huiusmodi data potestate euertuntur quamuis manifestum est cum id agimus non ea nos honorare sed potius detestari ideo tamen in vsus nostros priuatos duntaxat proprios non debemus inde aliquid vsurpare vt appareat nos pietate ista destruere non auaritia Cum vero in vsus communes non proprios ac priuatos vel in honorem dei veri conuertuntur hoc de illis fit quod de ipsis hominibus cum ex sacrilegis impijs in veram religionem mutaÌ„tur c. VVhen temples idols groues and such like things by authoritie be ouerthrovvne although it is manifest when we do that vve honor them not but detest them yet for al that vve may not therefore conuerte them or vse them to our ovvne priuate vses only and commoditie that it may appeare that we destroy them for religion sake and not for couetousnesse but when they are conuerted not into priuate and our owne vse but into common vses or to the honor of the true God that is done and broughte to passe in them which is done and broughte to passe in men themselues when of Idolaters and wicked persons they are chaunged into true religion This hath God him selfe taughte in those testimonies which thou thy selfe hast vsed vvhen as god him selfe commaunded that of that same groue vvhich vvas dedicated to straunge Gods there should be wood taken for his sacrifices and of Hierico that all the golde and siluer and brasse
and prouoke the Queenes maiestie and bring many faithfull ministers in such daunger as they cānot ridde themselues out of againe Hitherto Bullinger I haue the rather set downe these mens sayings at large bycause they be both pithie learned and wholy to the cōfutatiō of your assertion Wherefore I cōclude that a Christian magistrate may retayne any ciuill politique or Ecclesiasticall orders and rites of whomesoeuer they were inuēted or howsoeuer they haue bin abused so that First they be not against the word of god Secondly that iustification and remission of sinnes be not attributed vnto them Thirdly that the Churche be not troubled wyth the multitude of them Fourthly that they be not decréede as necessarie and not to be chaunged And last of all that men be not so tyed vnto them but that by occasion they maye bée omitted so that it be withoute offence and contempte Yet one thing I must admonish you of that there is a difference to be made betwixte those things which were wholy dedicated to false gods and to be vsed in the worshipping of them and those things which were vsed in the false worshipping of the true God for the Papists herein differ from the Gentiles that they acknowledge and confesse the true God and beleue the same articles of faith that we do but yet worship him not arighte nor beleue on him in all points as the word of God prescribeth And therefore if things abused of the Gentiles and inuented by them may be vsed of Christians much more may things inuēted and abused by Papists But of thys matter I minde also to speake something in the seconde parte of this Admonition The tenth Then as God gaue vtterance they preached the word only Nowe they reade homylyes articles Iniunctions c. Here you quote in the margent the sixte of Iohn vers 38. where Christ saith That he came dovvne from heauen not to do his ovvne vvill but the vvill of his father that sent him Likewise the 12. of Iohn vers 49. where also he saith that he hath not spoken so himselfe but the father that sent him gaue him commaundement vvhat he should say and vvhat he should speake And the first to the Corinthians 11. Chapter vers 23. where Saincte Paule sayeth that he receiued of the Lorde that vvhich he deliuered vnto them No man denieth but that the worde of God only ought to be preached and that as god giueth vtterāce but do you meane that we may not studie for our sermons or that we may speake nothing but the verie texte of Scripture without amplifying or expoundidg the same When I knowe your meaning herein you shall vnderstande more of my mynde In the meane time this I am sure of that the Homilies appointed to be reade in the Churche are learned godly agreable to Gods word and more effectuall to edification than a number of your sermons which consiste in wordes only and entreate of little else but of cap surplesse c. Archbishop Lorde Byshop c. the ende whereof is not edification but contention Homilies readde in the Churche haue alwayes bin commendable and vsuall euen from the beginning looke Augustine Chrysostome and others and why may not articles and Iniunctions béeing collected to the setting foorth of true religion and good orders in the Churche be read there also as in a most méete place but I perceyue you are enimies to reading bycause you loue so well to heare your selues talking I will say no worse The thirtenth and fourtenth Then it was painfull nowe gainfull Then poore and ignominious nowe rich and glorious And therefore titles liuings and offices by Antichrist deuised are giuen to them as Metropolitane Archbyshop Lords grace Lord Bishop Suffragane Deane Archedeacon Prelate of the garter Earle Coūtie Palatine honor high Commissioners Iustices of peace and quorum c. All which togither with their offices as they are strāge vnherd of in Christs church nay plainly in Christs word forbidden So are they vtterly with speed out of the same to be remoued It was then as it vseth to be vnder the crosse And ii is nowe as it vseth to be when God doth blesse it with peace quietnesse and godlie magistrates And yet surely euen nowe it is more painefull than gaynefull more ignominious than ryche and glorious and that doe those knowe that beare the heate of the daye But it is the more paynefull and ignominious for you who ceasse not with rayling and spitefull wordes in pulpits and at tables to depraue and backbite your brethrē and to trouble the whole state with your factiōs and daylie inuented newe opinions the persecution of the sword ceaseth but the persecution of the tung is extreame hot and we who gaine so muche and be so glorious are molested aswell by you as by the Papist and Atheist And therefore not verie glorious You ad and say That therefore titles liuinges and offices by Antichriste deuised are giuen to them as Metropolitane Archbishop lordes grace lorde bishop suffragane Deane Archdeacon prelate of the garter Earle Countie Palatine Iustice of peace and quorum c. All which togither with their offices as they are straunge and vnhearde of in Christes churche nay plainly in Gods worde forbidden So are they vtterlie with speede out of the same to be remoued Here you are in youre ruffe but you shewe your ignoraunce and contemptuous stomacke you haue giuen sentence that the names of Metropolitane Archbishop c. and their offices were deuised by Antichrist Likewise that they are strange and vnheard of in Christes church Also that they be plainelie in gods worde forbidden and last that they are vtterlie with spéede to be remoued If you can proue all these points it is time the churche were transformed and the whole kinde of gouernement of this Realme altered But if you cannot proue them then is it high time that such insolencie should be repressed and perturbers of Churches and common weales reformed Well I must do the best I can to improue all these poyntes whiche I might do sufficiently if I should as barely denie them as you haue affirmed them But I will not deale so nakedly in so great a matter First therfore I proue that the names of Metropolitan Archbishop c. be not Antichristian names that is names inuented by Antichrist but most auncient yea that they were in the Churche long before the Gospell was publiquely embraced by any Prince or in any kingdom Polydore Vergile lib. 4. de inuento rerum cap. 12. sayth that Clement in his booke entituled Compendiarium christiana religionis testifieth that the Apostle Peter did in euery Prouince appointe one Archbishoppe whome all other bishoppes of the same prouince shoulde obey he sayeth also that the same Archebishop was called Primas Patriarcha and Metropolitanus Peter was not Antichryst Ergo the name of an Archebyshop is no Antichrystian name Volusianus Bishop of Carthage who liued Anno domini 865. In one of his
be but very sclender proofes that the names and offices of Archebishops Lord Bishops c. be plainly forbidden by the word of God. Surelie you had thought that no man wold euer haue taken paines to examine your margent I am of Hemingius opinion in this pointe that I thinke this your assertiō smelleth of plaine Anabaptisme and surely if you had once made an equalitie such as you phansie among the Clergie it would not be long or you attempted the same amōg the laytie let thē take héede Tūc tua res agitur c. The fouretenth Then ministers were not so tyed to any forme of prayers inuented by man but as the spirit moued them so they poured forth hartye supplications to the Lorde Now they are bounde of necessitie to a prescripte order of seruice and boke of common prayer in whiche a great number of things contrarie to gods word are conteined as baptisme by women priuate communiōs iewish purifiengs obseruing of holydayes c. patched if not altogether yet the greatest pece out of the popes portuis To proue that ministers were not so tyed to any forme of prayer inuented by man but that as the spirite moued them c. you quote Rom. 8. and the 1. Timo. 1. In the eight to the Romaines the words be these Likevvise also the spirite helpeth our infirmities for vve knovve not vvhat to pray as we ought but the spirite it self maketh request for vs vvith sighes vvhiche cannot be expressed This place speaketh nothing against any prescripte forme of prayer for then it shoulde dissalowe the Lords prayer but it teacheth vs that it is the spirite of God that sturreth vs vp to pray and maketh vs earnestly poure out our supplications vnto god And this the spirite worketh aswell by prescripte prayers as by prayers sodenly inuented The wordes to Timo. Epist. 1 ca. 1. vers 2. are farre fetched and nothing to the purpose the words be these vnto Timothie my naturall sonne in the faith grace ▪ mercy and peace from God our father and from Christ Iesu our lord What maketh these words against any prescripte forme of prayers peraduenture you would haue alledged the firste to Timo. 2. I exhorte therefore that first of all supplications c. which maketh directly against you If you meane by prayers inuented by man such prayers as man inuenteth against the word of God as prayer for the dead prayer vnto saincts and such like then it is true that you say But if you meane suche prayers as by godly men be framed according to the holy scriptures whether they be for matters perteyning to the life to come or to this life then you shewe your ignoraunce for it is manifest that there hath bene always in the Church of Christ a prescripte forme of publique praier as it appeareth in Iustinus Martir Apolo 2. pro christianis and other auncient fathers neither did euer any learned or godly man or reformed Church finde faulte herewith or not greatly commend the same excepte only the secte of Anabaptists Damasus was a good Byshop and therefore no good thing by him appointed to be disalowed but he did not first ordeyne a prescripte forme of publike prayers he only added something therevnto as Gloria patri c to the ende of euerie psalme And decréed that psalmes shoulde be song aswell in the night time as in the day time in euerie Churche but they were song in the Church before and as I haue said there was a prescript forme of prayer in Iustinus Martirs time who was long before Damasus Gregorie added the Letanie onley I muse what you meane to write so manifest vntruthes You note not here neither ar you able any prayer in the whole Communion booke wherin there is any thing not agréeable to gods word We may say as Sainct Augustin sayth in his 121. epistle writtē ad Probam viduam Et siper omnia precationum sanctarū verba discurras quātū existimo nihilmuenies quod nō ista Dominica cōtineat cōcludat oratio Vnde liberū est alijs atque alijs verbis eadem tamen in orando dicere sed non debet esse liberum alia dicere And if thou runnest thorough all the vvordes of the holy prayers I suppose thou shalte finde nothing vvhiche the Lordes prayer doth not conteine and comprehende therefore vve may in other vvords speake the same things in our prayers but vve may not speake contrarie things But you say A number of things cōtrary vnto gods worde are conteyned in this boke as baptisme by women priuate communions Iewish purifiengs obseruing of holydayes c. patched if not altogither yet the greatest peece out of the Popes portuis Here is not one prayer in all the whole cōmuniō booke found fault with and yet your quarrell is against a prescripte forme of prayers inuented by man. You maruellously forget your selfe and confusedly go from matter to matter without any consideration Digressing therefore from prayers conteyned in the communion booke you come to other matters in the same against gods word as you say and first you alledge baptising by women I deny baptising by womē to be expressed in that booke and whē you haue proued it to be necessarilye gathered out of the same then shal you heare my iudgemente thereof Your places of scripture alledged against it are not of sufficiente force to proue your purpose Christe in the 28. of Mathewe saide to his Disciples goe and teache all nations baptising them in the name of the father c. Ergo women may not baptise I say this argumente followeth not no more than this doth Ergo pastors may not baptise for it is manifest that an Apostle is distinct from a pastor The second place you doe alledge is .1 Cor. 14. where Paule sayeth it is a shame for women to speake in the congregation Paule sayeth not that it is a shame for womē to speake at home in priuate houses for women may instructe their families yea and they may speake also in the congregation in time of necessitie if there be none els there that can or will preach Christ and hereof we haue examples If women do baptise they baptise in priuate houses not in the congregation Surely you are able to marre a good matter for lacke of skilfull handling You say in your margent that Victor An. 198. did first appoint that women might baptise By this ye adde more credite to the cause than you are aware of For Victor was a godly bishop and a martir and the Church at that time was in great puritie not being long after the Apostles time But truly I can finde no such thing in all his decrées only this he saith that such as be cōuerted of the Gentiles to the faith of Christ in time of necessitie or at the pointe of death may be baptised at any time in any place whether it be in the Sea or in a riuer or in a pond or in a well so
proue that the sacrament was then ministred in common and vsuall bread for there is no mention made of the kinde of bread The place alledged out of the twentith of the Actes speaketh of bread but not of any one certaine kinde of bread The truth is that it skills not what kinde of bread is vsed leuened or vnleuened so it be breade although it were to be wished for the auoyding of superstition that common and vsuall bread were vsed and also that the forme were altered and the quantitie encreased But these things are not de substantia sacramenti and therefore not sufficiente to proue that the supper is not sincerely ministred If any thinke better of one kinde of bread than of another in the ministration of the sacrament it is their error and derogateth nothing from the order of administratiō Master Caluine in his Institutions cap. 19. sect 72. touching this matter writeth on this sorte Caeterum in manū accipiant fideles necne inter se diuidant an singuli quod sibi datum fuerit edant calicem in Diaconi manu reponant an proximo tradāt panis sit fermentatus an azymus vinum rubrum an album nihil refert haec indifferentia sunt in ecclesia libertate posita But whether the faithfull take it in their hands or no whether they deuide it among them selues or euerie one eate that whiche is giuen vnto them whether they giue the cup to the deacon or deliuer it to him that is nexte whether the bread be leuened or vnleuened the wine red or white it makes no matter These be indifferent things and put in the libertie of the Church Master Bucer likewise in his censure vppon the booke of common prayers is of the same iudgement his wordes be these The thirde chapter is of the substance forme and breaking of bread which all do vvell ynough agree vvith the institution of Christ vvhome it is manifest to haue vsed vnleuened bread and easie to be broken for he brake it and gaue to his disciples peeces of the bread broken Touching the forme and figure vvhether it vvere rounde or square there is nothing declared of the Euangelistes And bycause thys bread is vsed only for a signe and not for corporall norishmente I see not what can be reprehended in this description of the bread vvhiche is in this booke excepte some would peraduenture haue it thicker that it may the more fully represent the forme of true bread Alexander liued Anno. 111. and was a good and godlie Byshop It is reported in some writers that he appointed vnleauened breade to be vsed in the Eucharist bycause that Christ himselfe vsed the same according to the lawe written Exod. 12. Deute 16. But that he brought in wafer cakes or appointed any certayne forme of bread you cannot proue neyther doth any credible authour write it These words that you vse like the God of the alter be slaunderous and false we are as far frō thinking the bread to be our God as you and teache as sounde doctrine touching this sacramente And therefore you shew of what spirit you be The sixth They receyued it sitting we kneeling according to Honorius decree The places of Scripture that you quote in the margēt to proue sitting at the Communion declare that Christe and his disciples sat at the table but that proueth nothing For you might aswell haue sayde they receiued after supper we before dinner they at night we in the morning they after meate we before meate they in a priuate house we in the open Church they being al men in number .xii. we togither with women not strictly obseruing the number of twelue or any other number aboue thrée or foure This your argument toucheth them as well as it doth vs whiche receyue it standing or walking But to sitte stand knéele or walke be not of the substaunce of the sacrament and therefore no impediments why it may not be sincerely ministred It behoueth humble and méeke spirits in such indifferente matters to submitte them selues to the order of the Church appointed by lawfull authoritie and not to make schismes and contentions in the Church for the satisfying of their owne fansies Touching knéeling at the Communion it forceth not who did first appointe it although I can finde no suche decrée made by Honorius it is the méetest manner of receiuing this sacrament in mine opinion being commōly vsed in praying and gyuing of thanks both which are annexed to this sacramente and are to be required in the Communicants therfore I think this to be a good reason the méetest gesture for praying and thanks gyuing is knéeling but those that receiue the Eucharist pray and giue thāks Ergo the metest gesture for them is knéeling The onely perill is adoration whiche may aswell bée committed sitting or standing But wherefore then serueth preaching there is as muche daunger of contempte the one way as there is of adoration the other waye In such matters Christian magistrates haue authoritie to appointe what they thinke most cōuenient and the same must be obserued of those that be pacifici and not contentiosi But of sitting and knéeling at the Communiō more is to be spoken hereafter in the seconde parte The seuenth Then it was deliuered generally and indefinitely Take ye and eate ye we perticulerly and singulerly take thou eate thou Here is a high matter in a lowe house he that saith take ye and eate ye doth he not also say in effecte take thou and eate thou Doth not the plurall number include the singuler Christ Matth. 6. saith ad hunc igitur modum orate vos praye ye on this manner May we not therefore say pray thou on thys manner if we speake to one singuler person So speaking to all his Apostles he saith Ite in vniuer sum mundum Goe ye into all the vvorlde We vse the plurall number when we speake to many ioyntly we vse the singuler number when we speake to one seuerally and forasmuche as euerie one that receiueth this sacramente hath to applie vnto hym selfe the benefits of Christes death and passion therefore it is cōuenient to be sayd to euery one Take thou eate thou But this obiection is so ridiculous that it is more worthy to be hissed at than to be confuted The eight They vsed no other words but such as Christ lefte we borrowe from Papists the body of our Lorde Iesus Christe whiche was giuen for thee c. From whencesoeuer these words were borrowed they were well borrowed for it is a godly prayer and an apte applycation of that sacrament and putteth the communicants in minde of the effecte of Christes passion exhibited vnto them by that sacrament and sealed with the same if it be worthily receiued It maketh no matter from whome we receiue any thing so it be godly profitable and consonant to the scriptures But I pray you tell vs what Pope inuented these words The body of our Lorde Iesus Christ. c. The
ninth They had no Gloria in excelsis in the ministerie of the sacrament then for it was put to afterwarde We haue nowe It is the common consente of ecclesiasticall histories that the Apostles did celebrate the Lords supper with the Lords prayer and yet we do not read that Christ did so you also teach that the supper oughte not to be ministred without a Sermon and in the ministration thereof you vse diuers prayers and other orders which Christe vsed not Can you spye a mote if it be a mote as it is not in another mans eye and can you not perceiue a beame to be in your owne There is nothing conteined in Gloria in excelsis but the same is taken out of the scriptures and to be vsed of all true Christians Telesphorus whome you note in the margent to haue added to the supper of the Lorde Gloria in excelsis in the yeare of the Lord 130. was a good Byshop and the Church of Rome as yet pure in doctrine and vnspotted with heresie The tenth They toke it with conscience we with custome This is but your presumptuous and arrogant iudgement who dare take vppon you to giue this generall sentence so generally vpon this whole Church of England for you make no exceptiō but set vs ad oppositum to them If you say some take it without conscience I thinke you say truly and so did some of them as Iudas But if you say all or the most parte you goe beyonde your commission and make your selues iudges of other mens consciences contrarie to the rule of Christ Math. 7. Luke 6. and of Paule Rom. 2. ◠14 1. Cor. 4. and of Iames the .4 The eleuenth They shut mē by reason of their sinnes from the Lords supper We thrust thē in their sinne to the Lords supper The place that you alledge out of the fifte Chapter of the firste to the Corinthians which is this But nowe I haue written vnto you that you companie not togither if any that is called a brother be a fornicator c. doth not particulerly touch the secluding of men by reason of their sinnes from the communion but generally prohibiteth true Christians to haue any familiaritie or frendship with any such notorious offender If you were not with malice blinded you mighte easily vnderstande that by the order and rules of this Church of Englād all notorious and knowne offenders euen such as S. Paule here speaketh of are secluded from the Lordes supper But peraduenture your meaning is that no man should be compelled to the Communion at any time wherin you greatly gratifie the Papists and shewe your selfe a good patrone of theirs when you shew any reason why men may not be compelled to come to the Communion then you shal be aunswered In the meane time you are worthy of your fée The twelfth They ministred the sacramentes plainly we pompeously with singing piping surplesse and copewearing This is a very slender reason to proue that the sacrament of the Supper is not sincerely ministred bycause there is singing piping surplesse and cope whē you shew your reasons against that pompe which is nowe vsed in the celebration of that sacrament you shall heare what I haue to saye in the defence of the same I thinke that there is nothing vsed in the administration therof that doth in any respecte contaminate it or make it impure As for piping it is not prescribed to be vsed at the Communion by any rule that I knowe Singing I am sure you do not dissalowe being vsed in al reformed churches and an arte allowed in scriptures vsed in praysing of God by Dauid Of surplesse cope I haue spoken before and will speake more hereafter as occasion is ministred The thirtenth They simply as they receiued it from the lord We sinfully mixed with mans inuentions and deuises There is no suche inuentions or deuises of manne mixed with the Supper of the Lorde as can make it sinfull being all perteyning to edifieng and to good and decent order and nothing there appointed to be done contrary or not agreable to the Scriptures Caluine him selfe saith in his Institutions Li. 4. ca. 10. That those things which be partes of decencie commended vnto vs by the Apostle though they be prescribed by man yet are they gods traditions and not mans as kneeling at solemne prayer and such like The supper it selfe in all points of any momente is ministred nowe in this Churche of Englande euen as Christ deliuered it as the Apostles vsed it and as the Primatiue Churche continued the same These be all the reasons you vse to proue that the sacramente of the Supper is not rightely and sincerely ministred whereof some bée impious some ridiculous and all of them vnworthy any confutation Admonition And as for baptisme it was ynough with them if they had water and the partie to be baptised by faith and the minister to preache the word and minister the sacraments Now we must haue Surplesses deuised by Pope Adrian Interrogatories ministred to the infant Godfathers and Godmothers brought in by Higinus holy fonts inuented by Pope Pius crossing and such like peeces of Poperie which the Churche of God in the Apostles time neuer knew and therfore not to be vsed nay whiche we are sure of were and are mans diuises brought in long after the puritie of the primatiue church Answere The impurities you finde in the administration of baptisme be these surplesse Interrogatories ministred to the infāt godfathers godmothers holy fonts crossing Touching the surplesse and such like apparel I haue spokē before sufficiently the first inuētor of it which you say to be Pope Adrian doth make it neither better nor worse yet it was vsed long before Adrians time neither can you proue him to be the first inuenter therof It is certen that such kind of vesture hath bene vsed in the ministration of the sacramēts long before any corruption of doctrine tooke place in the Churche as it appeareth both by Hierome in his first booke aduersus Pelags where he maketh manifest mention of a white garment vsed in the administration of sacrifice by the Byshop priest deacon And also Chrysostome Hom. 6. to the people of Antioche who speaketh of the like garment worne in the Churche Those that answered the examiner do but childishly cauill at these two places which in déede be plaine of them selues and euident and so is that of Hieromes also vpon the .44 of Ezechiell The religion of God hath one habite in the ministration and another in cōmon vse and life Reade the place considerately it shal easily appeare that Hierome meaneth aswell of Christian ministers as of Iewish priests But of the vse of this and other apparell prescribed in this Churche to be worne by ministers I haue spoken partely before and am ready to speake more as occasion shall be offered In the meane tyme the Surplesse is not of the substaunce of baptisme neither
not wasted vpon loyterers and idle vagabounds Nowe it is the first steppe to the ministerie nay rather a mere order of priesthoode Answere In the whole .xij. chapiter of the Epistle to the Romanes there is not one worde to proue the office of a Deacon to consist in gathering almes and distributing the same neither yet dothe he speake there of the office of a Deacon no more dothe he in the thirde Chapiter of the seconde Epistle to the Thessalo Lorde God what meane you thus to play with the scriptures It is true that in the primatiue Churche the office of a Deacon was to collecte and prouide for the poore but not onely for it was also their office to preache and to baptise for Stephen and Philippe béeing Deacons dyd preache the Gospell Act. 6.7.8 And Philip dyd baptyse the Eunuche Act. 8. Iustinus Martyr one of the moste auncient writers in his seconde Apologie sayth that in the administration of the Supper deacons did distribute the bread and the wine to the people The same doth master Caluine affirme of deacons in his Instit. ca. 19. It may well be compted the first steppe to the ministerie as it hath bene from the Apostles time and S. Paule ioyneth them togither 1. Tim. 3. Admonition For they may baptise in the presence of a Bishop or priest or in their absence if necessitie so require minister the other sacrament likewise reade the holy scriptures and homilies in the congregation instruct the youth in the Cathechisme and also preache if he be commaunded by the Byshop Answere I know not what you meane by your Ponti tit in the margent of your booke but if you meane the booke entituled the forme and maner of making and consecrating Byshops c. now allowed in this Church of Englande then do you vntruely reporte it for there is no mention of baptising in the presence of a Byshop or Priest neither yet of ministring the other sacrament in their absence if necessitie require onely the booke sayth that a deacon may baptise or preach if he be thervnto admitted by the Byshop and that he may so do by the worde of God I haue proued before As for reading the holy scriptures and Homilies in the congregation also for instructing the youth in the Cathechisme who doubteth but that a deacon may do them Admonition Agayne in the olde Churche euery congregation had their Deacons Answere O how aptely you haue alledged the Scriptures to proue that euery congregation had their deacons In the first to the Philip. these be the words Paule and Timotheus c. to all the Saincts which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons Paule and Timotheus salute the Byshops Deacons which were at Philippi Therfore in those dayes euery congregation had their Deacons a straunge kind of reasoning you might well haue thus concluded Ergo at Philippi there was Deacons But surely this argument is too muche out of square there was Deacons at Philippi therfore euery congregation had their Deacons In the .13 of S. Iohn verse .27 these be the wordes And after the soppe Sathan entred into him then sayde Iesus vnto him that thou doste do quickly After supper Sathan entred into Iudas and Iesus sayde vnto him that thou doste do quickly Therefore euery congregation had their Deacons No maruell though your margent be pestred with Scriptures when you take libertie to make ex quolibet quidlibet Peraduēture you meane that Iudas was a Deacon as he was not but an Apostle bicause he carried the bagge and that some of the Apostles thought that Christ had bid him giue somwhat to the poore belike whosoeuer giueth a peny to the poore at his masters commaundement is with you a Deacon In the sixt of the Acts we learne that there were chosen seauen Deacons but there is not one worde to proue that euery congregation had their Deacons In the third of the first to Timothie S. Paule sheweth what qualities and conditions a Deacon ought to haue but not one worde of deacons béeing in euery congregation This is great audacitie thus manifestly to wring the scriptures without all colour or shew of reason Admonition Now they are tyed to Cathedrall Churches only what do they there gather the almes and distribute it to the poore nay that is the least peece or rather no parte of their function What then to sing a Gospell when the Bishop ministreth the Communion If this be not a peruerting of this office and charge let euery one iudge Answere I am sure you are not offended that there be Deacons in Cathedrall Churches For if they ought to be in euery congregatiō they ought to be there also and yet I know no such order now in Cathedrall Churches that they be more bounde to Deacons in the respecte of reading the Gospell thā other Churches be But admitte they were it is no peruerting of the office of a Deacon being incident to his office aswell to reade the Scriptures in the congregation and to exhorte as to giue almes and distribute to the poore For the state of the Churche is not nowe as it was in the Apostles tyme neyther is that parte of the office of a Deacon so necessary nowe as it was then being lawes and orders otherwise to prouide for the poore than there either was then or coulde haue bene Admonition And yet least the reformers of our time shold seeme vtterly to take out of gods Church thys necessarie function they appointe something to it concerning the pore and that is to search for the sicke needy and impotent people of the parrish and to intimate their estates names and places where they dwell to the Curate that by his exhortation they may be releeued by the parrish or other conuenient almes And thys you see is the nighest parte of his office and yet you must vnderstande it to be in suche places where there is a Curate and Deacō euery parrishe cannot be at that cost to haue both nay no parrish so farre as can be gathered at thys present hath Answere And what faulte can you finde herewith is not thys greatly to be commended If euery parrishs cannot be at the cost to haue both Curate and Deacon why do you require them both in euery parrish Why do you not thinke well of suche lawes as appoint collectours for the poore which may aswell prouide for them and better too than could the Deacon who must be susteyned himselfe with that which the poore should haue Admonition Now then ▪ if you will restore the Churche to his ancient officers this you must do In stead of an Archbyshop or Lorde Byshop you must make equalitie of ministers Answere I haue proued before that aswell the name as office of an Archbishop is both most auncient and also most necessarie in the Church of Christ and that this equalitie of ministers which you require is both flatly against the scriptures and all aunciente authoritie of councells and learned
men and the example of all Churches euen from Christes time as more plainly apereth by these words of Master Bucer in his book de regno Christi Iam ex perpetua ecclesiaruÌ„ obseruatione ab ipsis iam Apostolis videmus visum hoc esse spiritui sancto vt inter presbiteros quibus ecclesiaruÌ„ procuratio potissimum est commissa vnâ—â— ecclesiarum totius sacri ministerij curam gerat singularem eaque cura solicitudine cunctis praeeat alijs Qua de causa Episcopi nomen huiusmodi summis ecclesiarum câ—ratoribus est peculiariter attributum c. Nowe we see by the perpetuall obseruation of the Churches euen from the Apostles them selues that it hath pleased the holy ghost that amongst the ministers to whome the gouernement of the Churche especially is committed one should haue the chiefe care both of the Churches and of the whole ministerie and that he should go before all other in that care and diligence for the which cause the name of a Bishop is peculiarly giuen to suche chiefe gouernours of Churches c. Furthermore I haue declared that it engendreth schismes factioÌ„s and contentions in the Churche and bringeth in a méere confusion and is a braunch of Anabaptisme And now I adde that you desire this equalitie not bycause you would not rule for it is manifest that you séeke it most ambitiously in your manner but bycause you contemne and disdayne to be ruled and to be in subiection In déede your meaning is as I saide before to rule and not to be ruled to do what you liste in your seuerall cures wythoute controlemente of Prince Byshoppe or any other And therefore pretending equalitie most disorderly you séeke dominion I speake that I know by experience in some of you Your places quoted in the margent to proue that there ought to be an equalitie of ministers sounde nothing that way 2. Cor. 10. vers 7. These be the words of the Aposâ—le Looke ye on things after the appearaunce If any trust in him selfe that he is Christes let him consider this agayne of him selfe that as he is Christes euen so are we Christes How conclude you of these words your equalitie I promise you it passeth my cunning to wring out of them any such sense rather the contrarie may be gathered out of the words following which be these For though I shoulde boast somewhat more of our authoritie which the Lorde c. I should haue no shame Master Caluin expounding these words saith on this sorte It vvas for modestie that he ioyned himselfe to their number vvhome he did farre excell and yet he vvold not be so modest but that he would kepe his authoritie safe therefore he addeth that he spake lesse than of right he might haue done For he vvas not of the commoÌ„ sorte of ministers but one of the chefe among the Apostles And therefore he saith if I bost more I neede not be ashamed for I haue good cause And a litle after Quamuis enim commune sit omnibus verbi ministris idemque officium sunt tamen honoris gradus Although the selfe same office be common to all the ministers of the vvorde yet there is degrees of honor Thus you sée Caluine farre otherwise to gather of this place than you do The place in the first to the Coloss. vers 1. is this Paule an Apostle of Iesus Christ by the vvill of God and Timotheus our brother Surely your mynd was not of equalitie I thinke when you quoted these places to proue it But it is your vsuall manner without all discretion and iudgement to dally and play with the scriptures For what sequele is there in this reason Paule calleth Timothie brother Ergo in all respects there must be equalitie as though there were not distinction of degrées euen among brethren Admonition In stead of Chauncelors Archdeacons Officialles Commissaries Proctors Doctors Summoners Churchwardens and such like you haue to place in euery congregation a lawfull and godly Seigniorie Answere That is in stead of learned wise and discréete men you must place to gouerne the Churche in euerie congregation vnlearned ignoraunte and men most vnapte to gouerne for suche of necessitie you must haue in most coÌ„gregations But I pray you do thus much for me firste proue that there was in euery congregation such as you call seniors When you haue done that then shewe me that that office and kinde of regiment ought to be perpetuall and not rather to be altered according to the state and condition of the Church Last of all that these seniors were lay men as we call them and not rather ministers of the worde and Bishops When you haue satisfied my request in these thrée points then will I procéede further in this matter In the meane time I do not defende any Chaunceller Archdeacon c. which abuse their office I wish such reformed with all my harte But wherein haue Churchewardens offended you I perceiue nothing that is nowe in the Church can please you Admonition The deaconship must not be confouÌ„ded with the ministerie nor the Collectours for the pore may not vsurpe the Deacons office but he that hath an office must loke to his office and euery man must kepe him selfe within the bonds and limits of his owne vocation Answere Neyther do we confounde them and yet Paule in the place by you quoted in the margente speaketh not one worde of confounding or not confounding these offices So the poore be prouided for it forceth not whether prouision be made by Deacons or by collectours by the one it may be well done by the other it cannot be done in all places as the state is nowe But shewe any scripture to proue that the poore must only be prouided for by Deacons else not Admonition And to these three ioyntly that is the ministers seniors and Deacons is the whole regiment of the Church to be committed Answere This is only by you set downe without proofe therefore I will heare your reasons before I make you aunswere In the meane time I pray you what authoritie in these matters do you giue to the ciuill magistrate me thinke I heare you whisper that the Prince hath no authoritie in ecclesiasticall matters I know it is a receiued opinion among some of you and therin you shake hands also with the Papists and Anabaptists Admonition This regiment consisteth especially in ecclesiasticall discipline whiche is an order lefte by God vnto his Church whereby men learne to frame their willes and doings according to the lawe of God by instructing and admonishing one another yea and by correcting and puinshing all wilfull persons and contemners of the same Of thys discipline there is two kinds one priuate wherwith we wil not deale bycause it is impertinent to our purpose â–ª another publike which although it hath ben long banished yet if it might now at the length bee restored wold be very necessary and profitable for the building vp of Gods
An Answere to the seconde parte of the Libell called An admonition to the Parliament and entituled A view of Popishe abuses yet remayning in the English Church for the which godlie ministers haue refused to subscribe Admonition WHere as immediatly after the laste parliament holden at Westmynster begon in Anno. 1570. and ended in Anno 1571. the ministers of gods holy word and Sacraments were called before hir maiesties high Cōmissioners and enforced to subscribe vnto the articles if they would kepe their places and liuings and some for refusing to subscribe were vnbrotherly and vncharitably entreated and from their offices and places remoued May it please therefore this honorable and high Court of Parliament in cōsideration of the premises to take a view of such causes as then did withholde and now doth the foresaide Ministers from subscribing and consenting vnto those foresaide articles by way of purgation to discharge them selues of all disobedience towardes the Church of God and their soueraigne and by way of most humble entreatie for the remouing away and vtter abolishing of all suche corruptions and abuses as withhelde them through whiche this long time brethren haue bene at vnnaturall warre and strife among them selues to the hinderance of the Gospell to the ioy of the wicked and to the griefe and dismay of all those that professe Christes religion and laboure to attaine Christian reformation Answere You complayne much of vnbrotherly vncharitable entreating of you of remouing you from your offices and places Surely in this point I must compare you to certayne heretikes that were in Augustines time who most bitterly by sundry meanes afflicting and molesting the true ministers of the Churche yet for all that cried out that they were extreamly dealte with and cruelly persecuted by them or else vnto a shrewd and vngratious wife which beating hir husbande by hir clamorous cōplaints maketh hir neighbours beleue that hir husband beateth hir or to him that is mētioned in Erasmus colloquies that did steale and runne away with the Priests purse and yet cried alwaies as he ranne stay the thiefe stay the thiefe and thus crying escaped and yet he was the thiefe him selfe You are as gentlie entreated as may be no kinde of brotherly perswasion omitted towardes you most of you as yet kepe your liuings though some one or two be displaced you are offered all kind of friendlinesse if you could be contente to conforme your selues yea but to be quiet and holde your peace you on the contrary side most vnchristianly and most vnbrotherly both publikely and priuately raile on those that shew this humanitie towards you slaunder them by all meanes you can and most vntruly report of them séeking by all meanes their discredit Againe they as their allegiance to the Prince dutie to lawes requireth yea and as some of them by oth are bounde do execute that discipline whiche the Prince the lawe and their oth requireth You contrary to al obedience duty and oth openly violate break those lawes orders and statutes which you ought to obey and to the which some of you by oth is bounde If your doings procéede in dede from a good conscience then leaue that liuing and place whiche bindeth you to those things that be against your conscience for why shold you striue with the disquietnesse both of your selues and others to kepe that liuing which by laws you cannot excepte you offende against your cōscience or what honestie is there to sweare to statutes and lawes and when you haue so done cōtrarie to your oth to breake thē and yet still to remaine vnder them and enioy that place which requireth obedience and subiectiō to them For my parte I thinke it much better by remouing you from your liuings to offende you than by suffering you to enioy them to offend the prince the lawe conscience and god And before God I speake it if I were persuaded as you séeme to be I would rather quietly forsake all the liuinges I haue than be an occasion of strife and contention in the Church a cause of stumbling to the weake reioysing to the wicked I know God would prouide for me if I did it bona conscientia yea surely I would rather die than be an author of schismes a disturber of the common peace and quietnesse of the Churche and state There is no reformed Churche that I can heare tell of but it hath a certayne prescripte and determinate order aswell touching ceremonies and discipline as doctrine to the which all those are constrayned to giue their consent that will liue vnder the protection of it and why then may not this Churche of England haue so in like manner Is it méete that euery man should haue his owne phansie or liue as him list Truly I know not whervnto these your doings can tende but either to Anabaptisme or to méere confusion But nowe to the reasons that moue you not to subscribe to those articles ministred vnto you by hir Maiesties highe Commissioners The first article First that the booke cōmonly called the boke of common prayers for the Church of Englād authorised by parliamente and all and euery contents therin be suche as are not repugnant to the word of God. Admonition Albeit right honorable and dearely beloued we haue at all times borne with that whiche we could not amend in this booke and haue vsed the same in our ministerie so farre forth as we might reuerencing those times and those persons in whiche and by whome it was first authorised being studious of peace and of the building vp of Christes Church yet now being compelled by subscription to allow the same and to confesse it not to be against the worde of God in any point but tollerable we must nedes say as followeth that this booke is an vnperfecte booke culled and picked out of the popish dunghill the masse booke full of all abhominations for some and many of the contents therin be such as are against the worde of God as by his grace shal be proued vnto you And by the way we cannot but muche maruell at the craftie wilinesse of those men whose partes it had bene first to haue proued each and euery cōtente therin to be agreable to the word of god seing that they force mē by subscription to consente vnto it or else sende them packing from their callings Answere And what reason can you giue why you should not aswell allowe of it by subscription as you saye that you haue hitherto done by vsing of it in your ministerie Will you speake on thing and do another will you not subscribe to that whiche you publiquely vse and giue your cōsent vnto If those persons by whome this booke was first authorised were studious of peace and of bulding vp of Christes Church as you say they were then you that séeke to deface it are disturbers of peace and destroyers of the Church of Christ. They were singuler learned men zelous in Gods religion blamelesse in life
and Martirs at their end for eyther all or the most parte of them haue sealed this boke with their bloud But by the way this is to be noted that you confesse your selues to haue allowed that by vsing of it which you say is against the worde of God. The vnperfectnesse of this booke 〈◊〉 suche things in the same as be culled and picked out of that popish dunghill the masse booke wyth the contents therin that be against the worde of God shal apeare I am sure in your seuerall reasons for it is not sufficiente for you barely to say so withoute wit learning or reason This you know right well that in so saying you make the Papists leape for ioy bycause they haue gotten suche companions to assault this booke whilest they rest them and lye as it were in slepe O that the wise men of thys Realme suche I meane as be in authoritie sée not thys Popish practise and séeke not with more earnestnesse to preuent it Will ye suffer the Papists to gather strength and to multiplie by tollerating suche libellers vnder the pretence of reformation to discredit so muche as lyeth in them yea to ouerthrowe the whole state and substance of religion in this Church be not secure but watche and remēber the beginning and encrease of the Anabaptists of late in Germany which I haue described in my preface to this booke You saye that you can not but muche maruell at the craftye wylynesse of those menne whose partes it had bene firste to haue proued eache and euery contente therein to bee agreeable to Gods woorde c. Nay surely but it were youre partes rather to proue that there is some thing therein contrary or not agréeable to Gods worde For suche as bée learned and knowe the manner of reasoning saye that the Opponente muste proue or improue and not the Aunswerer They stande to the defence and mayntenaunce of the Booke you séeke to ouerthrowe it it is youre partes therefore to iustifie youre assertions by reasons and argumentes Nowe to your reasons Admonition The first is this They shoulde firste proue by the worde of God that a readyng Seruice going before and with the administration of the Sacraments is according to the worde of God that priuate communiō priuate baptisme baptisme ministred by women holydaies ascribed to saints prescript seruices for them kneeling at Communion wafer cakes for their bread whē they minister it surplesse and cope to do it in churching of women comming in vayles abusing the Psalme to hir I haue lifted vp mine eyes vnto the hilles c. and suche other foolish thinges are agreable to the written worde of the almightie Answere I do not well vnderstand your meaning woulde you haue vs to proue that to reade prayers before and with the administration of the sacraments is according to the word of god In déede in the booke of seruice there is first appointed to be read some one or two profitable sentences mouing either to prayer or to repentance after followeth a generall confession then the Lords prayer and certaine Psalmes nexte certaine Chapiters out of the olde and newe testamente c. Last of all the administration of the Sacramente If you aske me of the sentences they be Scripture If of the Lords prayer Psalmes and chapiters they be scripture also If of the Sacrament of the supper it is according to Scripture Math. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. 1. Cor. 11. If of the other prayers annexed they be likewise according to the scripture for they be made to God in Christes name for suche things as we néede or as we desire according to that saying of christ Quicquid petieritis c. VVhatsoeuer you aske my father in my name c. And again Petite dabitur vobu Aske and it shal be giuen vnto you Math. 7. and. Iacob 1. If any of you lacke wisdome let him aske it c. 1. Ti. 2. with other infinite places besides If you would haue vs to proue that to reade prayers or scripture in the Churche is according to the worde of God whiche you séeme to denie then we say vnto you that if there were any pietie in you any religiō any learning you would make no such vaine and godlesse doubts Was there euer any from the beginning of the worlde to thys daye the Zwinfildians onely excepted that mysliked reading of prayers and Scriptures in the Church but you But touching reading in the Churche I haue spoken before in the former treatise and minde to speake something of it hereafter as occcasion shal be ministred If you meane by priuate communion the communion ministred to one alone there is no suche allowed in the booke of common prayers but if you call it priuate bycause it is ministred sometime in priuate houses to sicke persons Then haue we the example of Christ who ministred the supper in a priuate house and inner parlor Marc. 14. Luc. 22. Math. 26. We haue also the example of the Apostles them selues who did minister the Supper in priuate houses especially if that place bée vnderstanded of the supper whiche is in the seconde of the Actes and before alleadged of you to proue that common and vsuall bread oughte to be in the supper Likewise of the primatiue Churche as appeareth in the seconde Apologie of Iustinus Martyr Tertul. de corona militis and others If you meane by priuate baptisme baptisme ministred in priuate houses and families you haue therof example in the Scriptures Acts. 10. other priuate baptisme allowed in the church of Englande I know none Master Bucer in his censure vppon the Communion booke speaking of the order appoynted in the same for priuate baptisme writeth thus In this constitution all things are godly appoynted I would to God they were so obserued and especially this that the baptisme of Infants be not deferred for therby is a doore opened vnto the diuell to bring in a contempt of baptisme and so of oure whole redemption and Communion of Chryste which through the sect of Anabaptists hath too muche preuayled with many For women to baptise we haue no rule that I knowe in the whole Communion booke but in scripture we haue an example of Moses wife that did circumcise and circumcision is correspondent to baptisme But I know no generall doctrine can be grounded of a singuler example and therfore most of your arguments be very féeble Holy dayes ascribed to Sainctes wherein not the Saincts but God is honored and the people edified by reading and hearing suche stories and places of scripture as pertayne to the martyrdome calling and function of suche Saincts or any other thing mentioned of them in scripture muste néedes be according to Gods worde For to honor God to worship him to be edifyed by the stories and examples of Saincts out of the scripture can not be but consonant to the scripture The proscript seruice for them is all taken out of Gods word and not one péece thereof but it
is moste consonant vnto the same If there be any that is repugnant set it downe that we may vnderstande it I tolde you before that touching the dayes and tymes and other ceremonies the Churche hath authoritie to determine what is moste conuenient as it hath done from time to time S. Augustine in his Epistle ad Ianua in the place before of me recited saith that the passion of Christ his resurrection his ascention and the day of the comming of the holy ghost which we commonly call Whitsontide is celebrated not by any commaundement vvritten but by the determination of the Churche And it is the iudgement of all learned writers that the Church hath authoritie in these things so that nothing be done against the worde of god But of this I haue spoken partly before intende to speake more largely therof in the place folowing where you agayne make mention of it Of kneeling at the Cōmunion I haue also spoken before and declared my iudgement therof There is more scripture for it than there is either for standing sitting or walking but in all these things as I haue declared the Church hath authoritie to iudge what is fittest Of wafer cakes ministring in surplesse or cope and churching of women I haue spoken before wafer cakes be bread surplesse and cope by those that haue authoritie in the Churche are thought to perteine to comelynesse and decencie Churching of women is to giue thanks for their deliueraunce Breade to be vsed in the Communion comelynesse and decencie giuing of thanks for deliueraunce out of perill and daunger be agréeable to Gods worde therefore all these things be agréeable to Gods worde The forme of bread whether it ought to be cake breade or loafe breade euery particuler thing that perteyneth to decencie or comelinesse at what time in what place with what wordes we oughte to giue thanks is not particulerly written in scripture no more than it is that you were baptised And therefore as I haue proued before in suche cases the Church hath to determine and appoynt an order That women shoulde come in vayles is not conteyned in the booke no more in déede is the wafer cake and therefore you might well haue lefte these two out of your reason béeing thrust in without all reason The .121 Psalme for I thinke your printer was ouerséene in that quotation I haue lifted vp myne eyes c. teacheth that all helpe commeth from God and that the faythfull ought onely to looke for helpe at his handes and therfore a most méete Psalme to be sayd at suche time as we béeing deliuered from any perill come to giue thanks to God. What meane you to adde and suche other foolishe things what foolishnesse I beséeche you can you finde in this so godly a Psalme O where are your wits nay where is your reuerence you ought to giue to the holy scriptures Admonition But their craft is playn wherin they deceiue them selues standing so much vpon this word repugnāt as though nothing were repugnant or agaynst the worde of God but that which is expressely forbidden by playne commaundement they know well inough and would confesse if either they were not blinded or else their hearts hardned that in the circumstances each content wherwith we iustly finde faulte and they to contētiously for the loue of their liuings maynteine smelling of their olde popish priesthoode is agaynst the worde of God. Answere If they were disposed to be craftie I thinke they might soone deceiue you for any great circumspection or discretion that appeareth to be in you by this booke You finde great fault that we stand so much vpon this worde repugnant as though nothing were repugnant or against the worde of God but that which is expressely forbidden by playne commaundement and herein you say we deceyue our selues But you do not tell vs how we are deceyued neyther do you let vs vnderstande what you thinke this worde repugnant doth signifie This is but slender dealing to finde a faulte and not to correcte it you should yet haue tolde vs your opinion of the signification of this worde séeing so great a matter doth depende vpon it True it is that this worde repugnant or agaynst the worde of God is to be contrary to that which in the worde is commaunded or forbidden not onely in manifest words but also in sense and vnderstanding except you vnderstande this worde repugnant on this sorte you will bring in many poynts of daungerous doctrine For we read in the Acts. 2. and .4 that the Apostles had al things common and yet Christians haue not all things common Those that were then conuerted to the Gospell solde all they had and layde it at the Apostles féete Act. 4. now it is farre otherwise Then Chryste ministred his supper at night after supper we in the morning before dinner he in a priuate house we in the publike Church he to men onely we to women also with a great many of such apparant cōtrarieties which be none in déed bicause they be not agaynst any thing commaunded or forbidden to be done or not to be done either in expresse words or in true sense And therfore you are gretly deceiued when you think that we are persuaded that those things which you finde fault with be agaynst the worde of God. As for this your saying If either they were not blynded or else their hartes hardened I praye God it be not moste aptly spoken of youre selues but I will not take vpon me to iudge those secretes that be only knowne to God and your selues Admonition For besides that this prescripte forme of seruice as they call it is full of corruptions it maynteyneth an vnlauful ministerie vnable to execute that office By the worde of God it is an office of preaching they make it an office of reading Christ saide goe preache they in mockerie giue them the Bible and authoritie to preach and yet suffer them not except that they haue newe licences So that they make the chiefest part preaching but an accessarie that is as a thing with out which their office may and doth cōsist In the scriptures ther is attributed vnto the ministers of God the knowledge of heuenly mysteries and therfore as the greatest token of their loue they are enioyned to feede Gods lambs and yet with these such are admitted and accepted as onelye are bare readers that is able to say seruice and minister a sacrament And that this is not the feeding that Christ spake of the Scriptures are playne Reading is not feeding but it is as euill as playing vpon a stage and woorse too for players yet learne theyr partes without booke and these a maynie of them can scarcely reade within booke These are emptie feeders darke eyes ill workemen to hasten in the Lordes harueste messangers that can not call Prophetes that can not declare the wil of the Lord vnsauerie salt blind guydes sleepie watchemen
againste interpreting of the Scriptures or preaching for I knowe they be both necessary but agaynst suche as be enimies to the reading of them The places in the .56 of Esay and in the eleuenth of Zacharie tende to the same purpose they all speake against ignorant foolishe slouthfull gouernours and Pastours there is nothing in them that condemneth or disalloweth reading of the Scriptures or reading of prayers No more is there in the fiftéenth of Matthew nor 1. Timo. 3. reade the places and you shall soone sée with howe little iudgement they be quoted against suche Ministers as vse to reade the Scriptures and prayers to the people If you had sayde agaynste dumbe and vnlearned ministers viewe these places you had sayde some thing For reading ministers that is for reading the Scriptures publiquely in the Church by ministers view you these places 1. Tim. 4. Till I come giue attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine In the which wordes as Musculus sayth Exprimit ordinem ecclesiasticum quo primum ex sacris scripturis aliquid legebatur deinde exhortatio doctrina subijciebatur He expresseth the Ecclesiasticall order wherein first there is some thing read oute of the Scriptures then followeth exhortation and doctrine Luke 4. Where we learne that Christe béeing at Nazareth as his custome was went into the Synagoge on the Sabboth day and stoode vp to reade c. Act. 15. it is thus written For Moyses of olde tyme hath in euery citie them that preache him seeing hee is read in the Synagoges euery Sabboth day Where he also séemeth to call reading preaching According to these examples and places of â—cripture the Churche of Christe euen from the beginnyng hath alwayes vsed to haue the Scripture publiquely read in the Churche as a thing moste profitable as it is before by me declared And yet you say Reading is not feeding but it is as euil as playing vpoÌ„ a stage and worse to for players yet learn their parts without booke and these a mainy of them can scarcely reade within booke That reading is feeding Musculus gyueth these reasons First bicause it maketh the people expert and cunning in the scriptures so that they can not be so easily deceiued with false teachers And therfore Iosephus lib. 2. contra Appi. speaking of this commoditie of hauing the scriptures read sayth on this sort In vnaquaque septimana ad legem audiendaÌ„ coÌ„ueniunt vniuersi NostroruÌ„ quilibet de legibus interrogatus facilius quam nomen suuÌ„ recitat Vniuersas quippe mox à primo sensu discentes in animo velut inscriptas habemus Euery weeke al the people come together to heare the lawe Euery one of vs demaunded any question of the lawe can answere as readily as hee can tell his owne name For we learning the law euen from our youth haue it as it were written in our memorie Secondely the publique Reading of the Scripture is good for suche as can not reade them selues to such lykewise as can reade but yet haue not the bookes of the holie Scripture at home in their houses Thirdly it maketh the people better to vnderstande the Sermons preached vnto them bicause through the continuall hearing of the Scriptures read they be acquainted with the wordes and phrases of the same Last of all it may be that some men be more edified by the simple reading of the scriptures than by sermons But both of reading the Scriptures and the profitablenesse therof I haue spoken before in the former treatise I can not but maruell what these men meane not onely in spyte and malice to ioyne with the Papistes against the Communion Booke but agaynst the publike reading of the Scriptures in the Churche also Saying that Reading is no feeding but it is as euill as playing on a stage and worse too than the which no Papist coulde haue spoken more spitefully If there be any ministers that can scarsly reade I defende them not neyther doth the Booke of coÌ„mon prayer allowe of them these be but Papisticall cauillations against the puritie of our seruice and Sacraments As for that which foloweth These are emptie feeders c. And the places of scripture quoted in the margent may be aptly spoken and alledged agaynst wicked ignorant and dumbe Pastors not against vertuous godly learned preaching or as you terme them reading ministers And therfore I leaue them to you and to the Papists better to be considered of Admonition By this booke bare reading is good tilling and single seruice saying is excellent building and he is shepherde good inough that can as Popishe Priestes coulde out of their Portuis saye fayrely their diuine seruice Naye some in the fulnesse of their blasphemie haue sayde it that muche preaching bringeth the woorde of God into contempt and that foure preachers were inough for all London so farre are they from thinking it necessarie and seeking that euery congregation shoulde haue a faythfull pastor Paule was not so wise as these politike men when he sayd we can not beleeue except we heare and we can not heare without a preacher c. Seeing we may heare by reading and so beleeue without a preacher foolishly he spake when he sayde he muste be apt to teach sith euery man of the basest sorte of the people is admitted to this function of suche as Ieroboam did sometimes make his priests We wil say no more in this matter but desire you to consider with vs what small profite and edification this seely reading hath broughte to vs this thirteene yeres paste excepte perhaps by some Circumcelion or newe Apostle we haue had nowe and then a fleing sermon surely our sinnes are growen ripe our ignorance is equall with the ignoraunce of our leaders we are lost they can not find vs we are sicke they can not heale vs we are hungrie they can not finde vs except they leade vs by other mens lights and heale vs by saying a prescript forme of seruice or else feede vs with homilies that are to homely to be set in place of Gods scriptures But dronken they are and shewe their owne shame that striue so eagerly to defende their dooings that they will not onely not acknowledge their imperfections but will enforce men to allowe them Answere Here is muche a doe about bare reading and single seruice saying by like you lacke matter to make out your Uolume when you iterate one thing so often I tell you agayne no honest godly or learned man euer hitherto did or will disalowe reading of the scriptures in the Churche or a prescript order of common prayers Shewe any learned mans iudgement to the contrarie shewe the example of any Christian Churche of antiquitie or of any late reformed Church wherein there is not bothe reading of the Scriptures in the publike congregation and a prescript order of common prayers nay shew any one sillable in the Scriptures to the contrarie As for your places alledged out of the. 1. Corinth 3.
hath brought to vs these thirtene years past c. And what can you tell howe much it hath profited I thinke very much but the lesse bycause of your cōtentiousnesse For by the factiōs that you haue stirred many be brought into a doubte of religion many cleane driuen backe and no doubte the frutes of the Gospell would haue muche more appeared if you had not made this schisme in the Churche a perpetuall companion but yet a deadly enimie to the Gospell I know not what you meane by your Circumceliō or newe Apostle If you meane such as preach in diuers places as they be called or as they sée occasion I sée not with what honest zeale or godly affection you can call them in derision Circumcelions or newe Apostles Some such haue done more good with their flying sermons as you terme them than you haue done with your rayling libels But as I said in the beginning I will not aunswere wordes but matter although I am constrained to do otherwise you are so full of words and barren of matter Admonition The second reason In this booke also it is appointed that after the creede if there be no sermon an homely must followe either already set out or herafter to be set out This is scarce plaine dealing that they would haue vs to consent vnto that which we neuer sawe whiche is to be set out hereafter we hauing had such cause alreadye to distrust them by that whiche is already set out being corrupt and strange to mainteine an vnlearned reading ministrie And sith it is plaine that mens works oughte to be kepte in and nothing else but the voyce of God and holy scriptures in which only are conteined al fulnesse and sufficiencie to decide controuersies must sounde in hys Churche for the very name Apocrypha testifieth that they ought rather to be kepte close than to be vttered Answere Your seconde reason in fewe wordes is this In the booke of common prayer it is appointed that after the creede if there be no sermon an Homily must followe either already set out or hereafter to be set out but you knowe not what wil hereafter be set out therefore you will not subscribe You haue no cause to suspecte any thing touching religion set out by publique authoritie for so is the booke or hereafter to be set out by cōmon authoritie Hitherto you are not able to cōuince any homily set out by cōmon authoritie of any error and therefore you ought not to be suspicious of any that is to come If any Homily shall hereafter be sette out wherein you mislike any thing you néede not to reade it the boke doth not appoint you this or that Homily to read but some one which you like best But what néede you to be scrupulous in thys matter if you be disposed to preach then néede you reade no Homily at all therefore this is no reason This assertion that in the holy scriptures is cōteyned al fulnesse to decide controuersies if you meane controuersies in matters of fayth and in matters touching saluation is very true but you haue vsed little discretion in quoting some places to proue the same I finde no faulte with you for citing the sixte verse of the 2. Timo. 3. for the 16. verse that is but a small ouersight and it may bée in the Printer But howe doe you conclude this assertion of the words of Peter 2. epist. ca. 1. verse 20. which be these so that ye first knovve that no prophecie of the scripture is of any priuate motion For this place only proueth that the scriptures be not of men but of the holy Ghost it speaketh nothing of the sufficiencie of the Scripture That place also 1. Cor. 1. is not fitly applyed to this purpose there is scripture sufficient directly to proue the sufficiencie of scripture so that you shoulde not haue néeded to giue the aduersarie occasion to carpe at the vnaptnesse of these places for that purpose Homelies contayning doctrine agréeable to the scriptures be of the same nature that sermons be Wherfore if it be not lawfull in the Church to reade homilies neither is it lawfull to preach Sermons The reason is all one neyther is there any difference but that Homilies be read in the booke Sermons sayde without the booke Homilies are pithie learned and sound sermons oftētimes be words without matter vnlearned erronious But of reading Homilies in the church I haue somthing spoken before now it shal be sufficient only to set down Master Bucers iudgemente of this matter in his notes vppon the Communion booke which is this It is better that vvhere there lacks to expound the scriptures vnto the people there shoulde be Godly and learned Homilies readde vnto them rather than they shoulde haue no exhortation at all in the administration of the supper And a little after there be too fevve Homilies and too fevve points of religion taught in them vvhen therefore the Lord shall blesse this kingdome vvith some excellent preachers lette them be commaunded to make moe Homilies of the principall points of religion vvhich may be readde to the people by those pastors that cannot make better themselues Admonition In this booke days are ascribed vnto saints and kepte holy with fastes on their euens and prescripte seruice appointed for them whiche beside that they are of many superstitiously kept and obserued and also contrarie to the cōmaundement of God Sixe dayes thou shalt laboure and therefore we for the superstition that is put in them dare not subscribe to allowe them Answere This is contained in your first reason and there aunswered Your collection hangeth not togither for howe followeth this these holydayes be superstitiously obserued of some therefore you may not allow them Why shoulde other mens superstition hinder you from lawfully vsing a lawfull thing The Saboth day is superstitiously vsed of some so is the church so is the Créed the Lords prayer and many things else and yet I hope you will subscribe to them You heape vp a number of places in the margent to proue that which no man doubteth of that is this portiō of the commaundement Sixe daies shalt thou labour c. The meaning of which wordes is this that seing God hath permitted vnto vs sixe days to do our owne works in we ought the seuenth day wholy to serue him This is no restraint for any man from seruing of God any day in the wéeke else For the Iewes had diuers other feasts whiche they by Gods appointmente obserued notwithstanding these wordes Sixe dayes c. Euery man hath not bodily laboure to doo but may serue God aswell in these sixe dayes as in the seuenth And certenly he doth not by any means break this commaundement which abstayneth in any of these six dayes from bodily laboure to serue god For this is the commaundement Remēber that thou kepe holy the Saboth day as for this Sixe dayes thou shalt vvorke is no commaundemente
ring whiche you call a sacramentall signe and vntruly say that we attribute the vertue of wedlocke therevnto I knowe it is not materiall whether the ring be vsed or no for it is not of the substance of matrimonie neither yet a sacramentall signe no more than sitting at Communion is but only a ceremonie of the which Master Bucer writing his iudgement vppon the first Communion booke set out in the time of King Edward saith on this sort Subijeitur alius ritus vt annulum c. There is another rite and ceremonie vsed that the bridegroome should lay vpon the booke the ring or any other signe or token of vvedlocke be it golde or siluer vvhich he vvill giue to his vvife and from thence the minister taking it doth deliuer it to the bridegrome and he deliuereth the same to the bride vvith a prescript forme of vvords conteyned in the booke this ceremonie is very profitable if the people be made to vnderstande vvhat is therby signified as that the ring and other things first laide vppon the booke and aftervvard by the minister giuen to the bridegrome to be deliuered to the bride do signifie that we ought to offer all that vve haue to God before vve vse thē and to acknovvledge that vve do receiue them at his hand to be vsed to his glory The putting of the ring vppon the fourth finger of the vvomans lefte hande to the vvhich as it is saide there commeth a synevve or string from the harte doth signifie that the harte of the vvife ought to be vnited to hir husband and the roundnesse of the ring doth signifie that the vvife ought to be ioyned to hir husband vvith a perpetuall bande of loue as the ring it selfe is vvithoute ende Hitherto Master Bucer The seconde thing you reproue is bycause saye you we make the married man according to the papisticall forme to make an Idoll of hys wife saying with my body I thee worship c. And yet S. Peter .1 epist. cap. 3. speaking to the husbands saith Likewise ye husbandes dwell with them as men of knowledge giuing honor vnto the woman c. S. Peter wold haue the man to giue honor vnto his wife yet his meaning is not that a mā shold make an Idol of his wife Last of al you like not that the married persons shoulde be enioyned to receiue the Cōmunion Truly I maruell what you meane so wickedly to reuile so godly and so holy a lawe Well I will onely set downe Master Bucers iudgemente of this thing also in the booke before of me recited his wordes be these Est illud admodum pie ordinatum vt noui coninges vna quoque de mensa Domini communicent nam non nisi in Christo Domino debent christiani inter se matrimonio iungi That is also godly ordeyned that the newe married folkes should receiue the Communion for Christians ought not to be ioyned by matrimonie but in Christ the Lorde Other pettie things you say out of the boke which you call in the margent abuses accidentall as women to come bareheaded bagpipes fidlers comming in at the greate dore c. you will not speake of Truly neither will I speake of them bycause being out of that booke and meare trifles they are not within my compasse But in the meane time this is a sore reason The ring is vsed in matrimonie the man saith to his wife with my body I thee worship the newe married persons receiue the Communion togither therefore you will not subscribe to the booke of common prayers But this argumēt cannot be aunswered women come to the Churche bareheaded with bagpipes and fidlers at the great dore of the Churche and these things bee not in the booke therefore you will not subscribe to the booke Admonition The tenth As for cōfirmatiō as they vse it by the Byshop alone to thē that lacke both discretion and faith it is superstitious and not agreable to the worde of God but popishe and peeuishe We speake not of other toyes vsed in it and howe farre it differeth and is degenerated from the first institution they themselues that are learned can witnesse Answere Confirmation as it is nowe vsed is most profitable without all manner of superstition most agreable to the word of God and in all points differing from the Papisticall manner of confirming children But arrogancie maketh you so péeuish that you can like nothing be it neuer so good Admonition The eleuenth They appointe a prescript kinde of seruice to burye the deade and that whiche is the duty of euery christian they tie alone to the minister whereby prayer for the dead is mainteyned and partly gathered out of some of the prayers where they praye that we wyth this our brother and all other departed in the true faith of thy holy name may haue our perfecte consummation and blisse both in body and soule We say nothing of the threefoulde peale bycause that it is rather licensed by iniunction than commaunded in the booke nor of theyr straunge mourning by chaunging their garments which if it be not hipocriticall yet it is superstitious and heathenishe bycause it is vsed only of custome nor of burial sermōs which are put in place of trentalls whereout spring many abuses and therfore in the best reformed Churches are remoued As for the superstitiōs vsed both in countrey and City for the place of buriall whiche way they must lie howe they must be fetched to Church the minister meeting them at church stile with surplesse with a company of greedy Clarks that a crosse white or blacke must be set vppon the dead corps that bread must be giuen to the poore offrings in buriall time vsed cakes sent abrode to frēds bycause these are rather vsed of custome and superstition than by the authoritie of the boke Small commaundement will serue for the accomplishing of suche things But great charge wil hardly bring the least good thing to passe and therefore all is let alone and the people as blinde and as ignorante as euer they were God be mercifull vnto vs. Answere It is true that we haue a prescript kind of seruice to bury the dead and that we appointe that office to the minister and what haue you in the whole scripture against this or who euer hath found faulte with either of these two things I meane prescript seruice to bury the dead the minister to execute that office but you alone or when was it euer heretofore reproued by any but euen by your selues now of late You say that therby prayer for the dead is mainteyned as may partly be gathered out of some of the prayers where wee praye that we with thys our brother other departed in the true faith of thy holy name c. You know full wel what our doctrine is cōcerning prayer for the dead you ought not thus boldly to vtter a manifest vntruthe for in so doing you do but bewray your sinister
affectioÌ„ How proue you that a prescript forme of seruice for burying the dead and the minister only to burye them doth mainteine prayer for the dead when you haue shewed your reason you shall heare my answere In saying that these words gathered out of some of the praiers that we with this our brother c. import praier for the dead you do but quarell wheÌ„ we say that we with Abraham Isaac and Iacob may raigne in thy kingdome do we pray for Abraham Isaac and Iacob or rather wish our selues to be where they are In the like manner when we saye that we wyth this our brother and all other departed in the true faith of thy holy name may haue our perfecte consummation and blisse both in body and soule we pray not for our brother and other that be departed in the true faith but we pray for our selues that we may haue our perfect consummation and blisse as we are sure those shall haue which dye in the true faith Now wey this reason there is a prescript forme of burying the dead it is made a portioÌ„ of the ministers office therefore you will not subscribe to the CommunioÌ„ booke The threefold peale mourning apparell buriall sermons the place of buriall whiche way they must lie howe they must bee fetched to the Churche a crosse white or blacke set vppon the dead corps breade giuen to the poore offrings in burial time vsed cakes sent abrode to frieÌ„ds you confesse not to be conteyned within the booke and so you ease me of some laboure But yet of mourning apparel and burial sermoÌ„s giue me leaue to speake a little It is no good reason to say that bicause mourning apparell is only vsed of custome therfore it is superstitious hethenish many things be vsed of custom which be neither superstitious nor heathenishe as to receiue the CoÌ„munioÌ„ before dinner to celebrate the Lords day on the sunday not on the saterday to preach in pulpits such like Mourning apparell is of great antiquitie as you know and I thinke it is no matter of religion but of ciuilitie and order If any man put religion in it then no doubte it is superstitious But wherin haue funerall sermons offended you or with what face of brasse dare you likeÌ„ them to trenfalls What similitude is there betwixte a godly sermon and the wicked masse In what one pointe are they like or how dare you condemne suche sermons being then most necessary and most profitable what is there a more fitte time to entreate of the mortalitie of man and shortnesse of his dayes of the vanitie of this world of the vncertentie of riches of the resurrection of the iugement to come of eternall life and of euerlasting death and of infinite other most necessarie points than that wherin we haue a present example before our eyes When is there a more méete time to beate downe trentalls sacrificing for the dead prayers for the dead purgatorie and such like than that wherin they were accustomed to be most vsed surely there is as much difference betwixte our funerall sermons and the Papisticall masses and trentalls as there is betwixte colde and hote blacke and white lighte and darkenesse truth and lies heauen and hell But belike there is some other priuate cause that maketh you to reiecte funerall sermons You say that in the best reformed Churches they are remoued I thinke you say not truly and I am sure that Master Caluine doth very well like and allowe of them as appeareth in the forme of common prayers vsed of the English Churche in Geneua and by him allowed But if it be so I tell you playnely for my parte I lyke not that reformation excepte there bée weightier reasons than eyther you vse or I can perceyue I am sure that in aunciente Churches of long tyme they haue bene vsed and the same you maye sée in the most â—uncient and best learned fathers Touching the place of burial I muse what you meane to mislike of it séeing there hath always ben an appoynted place for the same euen from Abraham to this day Other thinges that you mention be but trifles and some of them I thinke bothe is and may be vsed without superstition or any kinde of religious opinion But these be not in the booke and therfore no cause why you should disalowe of the booke for them Admonition The twelfth Churching of women after child birthe smelleth of Iewishe purification their other rites and custome in their lying in and comming to Church is foolish superstitious as it is vsed She muste lye in with a white sheete vppon hir bed and come couered with a vayle as ashamed of some follie She must offer but these are matters of custome and not in the booke But this Psalme as is noted before is childishly abused I haue lyfted vp mine eyes vnto the hils from whence coÌ„meth my help The sunne shal not burne thee by day nor the moone by night They pray that al men may be saued and that they may be deliuered from thundring tempest when no daunger is nigh that they sing Benedictus NuÌ„c dimittis Magnificat we know not to what purpose except some of theÌ„ were ready to die or excepte they would celebrate the memory of the virgin and Iohn Baptist. c. Thus they prophane the holy sripture Answere Of the churching of women I haue spoken before and also of the .121 Psalme I haue lyfted vp mine eyes to the hilles c. For their lying in I can say little I am not skilfull in womens matters neither is it in the booke no more is hir white shéete nor his vayle let the women them selues answere these matters You say we pray that all men may be saued we doe so in déede and what can you alledge why wée shoulde not so doe Sainct Paule .1 Timoth. 2. sayth I exhorte therefore that first of al supplications prayers intercessions and giuing of thanks be made for all men c. And adding the reason he sayth For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our sauiour who wyl that all men shall be saued and come vnto the knowledge of the truthe The Apostle dothe here will vs in playne words to pray for all men euen that they may be saued for thervnto tende the words following You mislike also that we shoulde pray to be deliuered from thundring and tempest when there is no daunger nighe You broche many straunge opinions may not we pray to be deliuered from perils and daungers except they be present and knowne to be at hande where finde you that Chryste teacheth vs to say in our daily prayer Libera nos à malo deliuer vs from euill What knowe we when there is any daunger of thundring and lightning haue we not examples of diuers that haue sodenly perished with the same Is it not therfore necessarie to pray for deliuerance from thunder and lightning aswell as from other daungers thoughe they
be not present Well men may sée whervnto this geare tendeth if they be not blinde Benedictus also Nuns dimittis and Magnificat be great motes in your eyes but you shewe no reason worthy to be answered onely in derision you say except some of them were ready to dye or would celebrate the memorie of the Uirgin or Iohn Baptist. As thoughe these Hymmes or Psalmes were not profitable for all men as the rest of the holy Scripture is but these especially bicause they conteyne the mysterie of our saluation and the prayse of God for the same By this your reason we may not vse any of the Psalmes vntil we be in like case as Dauid was or other when they were first made But I thinke nowe the time is come when those shall correct magnificat qui nesciunt quid significat Truely this your dooing is a méere prophanation of holy scriptures Admonition The thirtenth In all their order of seruice there is no edification according to the rule of the Apostle but confusion They tosse the Psalmes in most places like tennise balles the people some standing some walking some talking some reading some praying by theÌ„selues attende not to the minister He againe posteth it ouer as faste as he can gallop for either he hath two places to serue or else there are some games to be played in the after noone as lying for the Whetstone heathenishe dauncing for the ring a Beare or a Bull to be bayted or else Iacke an apes to ryde on horse backe or an Enterlude to bee playde and if no place else can bee gotten it muste bee doone in the church c. Now the people sit now they stand vp wheÌ„ the old testameÌ„t is read or the lessons they make no reuerence but when the Gospell commeth then they all stande vp For why they think that to be of greatest authoritie and are ignorant that the scriptures came from one spirite When Iesus is named then off goeth the cappe and downe goeth the knees with suche a scraping on the grounde that they can not heare a good while after so that the word is hindred but when any other names of God are mentioned they make no curtesie at all as though the names of God were not equall or as though all reuerence oughte to be giuen to the sillables We speake not of ringing when Mattens is done and other abuses incident bicause we shal be answered that by the booke they are not mainteined only we desire to haue a booke to refourme it As for Organes and curious singing though they be proper to popishe dennes I meane to Cathedral churches yet some others also muste haue them The Queenes Chappell and these Churches must be paternes and presidents to the people of all superstitions Answere This is a slaunderous vntruth And the .1 Cor. 14. abused to confirme it Whatsoeuer S. Paule requireth in that place is vsed in that booke of Seruice for first the whole seruice is in a tong knowne as S. Paule there requireth that the people may vnderstande and say Amen Then are the Scriptures read the Sacramentes ministred according to Christes owne institution those that be godly disposed persons knowe what a manifeste vntruth this is that you here vtter But madde men women and children must haue their wordes If by tossing of Psalmes you meane the singing of them alternatim then doe you disallowe that whiche is both commendable and of great antiquitie as it appereth in an Epistle that Basilius Magnus did write to the ministers in Neocesaria where he sheweth the selfe same order of singing Psalmes to be then vsed in the churche that we vse at this day If by tossing of Psalmes lyke tennyse balles you meane the ouer hastie reading or singing of them it is in déede to be mislyked but it is no parte of the booke and therfore no cause why you should absteyn from subscribing to it Walking talking reading priuate praying of the people in time of Common prayers seruing of two cures games played in the afternoone on the Sabboth daye as lying for the whetstone c. be faults worthy of punishment where they be vsed but they are not within the contentes of the boke they are here recited out of place to no purpose This is very malicious and vndiscrete dealing to burden the common order with suche faultes whiche by the malice of men are growen in vse and are of all good men mislyked So you might haue burdened Saint Paule and other preachers with the faults of the Churches of Corinth and Galathians and the residue of the Apostles with the superstitions of the Iewes conuerted in the primitiue Churche and all good rulers with such faultes as corruption of time breedeth Standing or sitting at this time or that time is indifferent and therfore may both be well vsed and abused also Kneeling at the name of Iesus is of the lyke nature ringing when matâ—ins is doone as you tearme it curious singing organs â–ª c. All these be without the booke and therfore without discretion alledged as a reason why you wil not subscribe to the book Here it pleaseth you to call Cathedrall Churches Popish dennes As hap is your words ar no slander But this brag I will make of Cathedral Churches and such as be now in them I wil offer vnto you a doze in cathedral Churches in EnglaÌ„d which I my selfe do know the worst wherof in learning shal encounter with al Papists Puritans Anabaptists and what other sects soeuer in England for the defence of religion now professed eyther by worde or writing Without arrogancie be it spoken I thinke there was neuer time wherein these churches were better furnished with wyse learned and godly men than they be at this day I speake not this bostingly but to Gods glorie the honour of the Prince the comfort of the godly and the shame of slandrous Papists and disdainful schismatiks Your slaÌ„drous spéech of the Quéenes Maiesties chappel which you also say to be a pattern and president to the people of all superstitions is rather seuerely to be punished than with wordes to be confuted Admonition The fouretéenth Their pontificall whiche is annexed to the booke of Common prayer and whervnto subscribing to the Articles we must subscribe also wherby they consecrate Bishops make ministers and Deacons is nothing else but a thing worde for worde drawne out of the Popes pontificall wherin he sheweth himselfe to be Antichrist most liuely And as the names of Archebishops Archdeacons lorde Bishops Chancelours c. are drawen out of the Popes shop together with their offices So the gouernement whiche they vse by the lyfe of the Pope which is the Canon law is Antichristian and diuellish and contrarye to the Scriptures And as safely may we by the warrante of Gods word subscribe to allow the dominion of the Pope vniuersally to raigne ouer the Churche of God as of an Archbishop ouer an whole prouince or a Lordbishop
like manner well gouerne twentie parishes Surely an Archbishop may well gouerne one prouince but the Pope can neuer well gouerne the whole church And yet an Archbishop hath not the the charge of gouernement ouer the whole prouince generally but onely in certain cases exempted therfore may do it more easily You borowed these arguments from the very Papists who by the selfe same reasons go about to proue the Popes supremacie for thus they argue Among the Israelites ther was one high Priest whiche had authoritie ouer the rest therfore ther must be one high Priest which is the Pope ouer the whole Churche of christ Master Caluin in his Institutions chap. 8. doth answere this reason on this sort Quod in vna natione fuit vtile id in vniuersum orbem extendere nulla ratio cogit imo gentis vnius totius orbis longe diuersa erit ratio That whiche is profitable in one nation can not by any reason bee extended to the whole worlde for there is great difference betwixt the whole worlde and one nation And a little after Perinde enim est ac si quis contendat totum mundum à praefecto vno debere regi quia ager vnus non plur◠praefectos habeat It is euen as though a man should affirme that the whole worlde may be gouerned of one kyng bicause one fielde or towne hath but one ruler or maister An other of their reasons is this Peter was the chiefe among the Apostles therfore there ought to be one chief ouer the whole Churche The same maister Caluine in the book and chapter before rehersed maketh this one answere to that Argumente Vnus inter Apostolos summus fuit nempe quia pauci erant numero Si vnus duodecim hominibus praefuit an propterea sequetur vnum debere centum milibus hominum praefici There was one chief among the Apostles bicause they were but few in number but if one man rule ouer twelue shall it therefore followe that one maye rule ouer a hundred thousande And a little after Quod inter paucos valet non protinus traehendum est ad vniuersum orbem terrarum ad quem regendum nemo vnus sufficit That which is of force among few maye not by and by bee drawen to the whole worlde the whiche no one man can gouerne ▪ Euery hyue of Bées hath one chéefe master Bée euery companie of Cranes hath one principall guyde must there be therfore but one Bée one Crane to direct al the Bées and the cranes that be in the whole worlde you see therfore how weake this reason is The rest of this reason I haue answered before Admonition The fiftéenth Agayne in that they are honoured with the titles of kings and great rulers as Lorde Lordes grace Metropolitane primate of all England Honor. c. it is agaynste the worde of god Moreouer in that they haue ciuile offices ioyned to the Ecclesiasticall it is agaynst the worde of god As for an Archbishop to be a Lorde president a Lord Bishop to be a Countie Palatine a prelate of the Garter who hath much to doe at Saint Georges feast when the Bible is caried before the Procession in the Crosses place a Iustice of peace or Iustice of Quorum an high Cōmissioner c. And therfore they haue their prisones as Clinkes Gatehouses Colehouses towres and Castles which is also against the Scriptures This is not to haue keyes but swordes and playn tokens they ar that they exercise that which they would so fayne seeme to want I meane dominion ouer their brethren Answere All this is without the booke and therfore I néede not to answere it no more than you néede to absteyn frō subscribing to the booke for things not cōteyned in the booke But I meane a little to examine your places of scripture to sée if you haue any better lucke in applying of them than hitherto you haue had in others To proue that it is agaynst the worde of God to honor Byshops with titles of great rulers as Lorde Lords grace Metropolitane primate of all Englande honor c. for I doe not remember that we call them kings you first quote Math. 23. which place is very ofte by you iterated and sufficiently by me answered before In the .13 of Iohn which you vse also for the same purpose Chryst after he had washed his disciples feete tooke an occasion thervpon to exhorte them to humilitie which vertue is very necessarie in all degrées of men aswell in rulers and Magistrates as in inferiours And therefore that place requireth humilitie in all especially in the ministers of the worde but it disaloweth superioritie in none When Chryst addeth and sayth the seruaunt is not greater than his master c. he armeth them agaynst persecutions and willeth them to looke for afflictions for in the .15 chapter he addeth to the same words If they haue persecuted me they vvill persecute you also And to this are Archbyshops and Lordbyshops aswell subiect as other men examples whereof we haue of our owne as Cranmer Ridley Hooper c. That in the .5 chapter of S. Iohn is not spoken to the Apostles but to the whole company of Iewes in reproofe of their vayne glory for so is that place to be vnderstoode else it were altogither vnlawfull for any man to receyue honor yea euen for Princes them selues To the like purpose tende the words of the Apostle 2. Cor. 10. vse 16.17.18 Surely bothe the names of Archbyshops Lordebyshops c. and their offices may aswell stande with these places of the scripture as the names offices of kings nobles and any other persons in estimation or dignitie In déede the mother of all heresies and sectes that is vayne glory and arrogancie in all these places is vtterly condemned But I pray you dothe Christ condemne superioritie in all those whom he exhorteth to humilitie is not humilitie aswell required in Princes and great rulers as it is in meaner persons yes surely and a great deale more Wherfore Christ in suppressing ambition pride arrogancie and exhorting to humilitie doth not condemne superioritie neither yet titles of reuerence but requireth humblenesse of spirite lowlinesse of mynd in al degrées of persons especially in superiors whō this vertue dothe moste adorne the mightiest and noblest Prince in the worlde may come nearer this admonition of Christ than the poorest slaue It is therfore the affection of the minde that Christ here condemneth not superioritie not titles of honor and dignitie yea he reproueth in this place such hautie proude stomakes as yours be which contemne and disdayne those whom they ought both in words and déedes both in titles and subiections to reuerence To proue that ciuill offices ioyned to the ecclesiasticall is agaynst the worde of God first you note Luke 9. v. 60.61 where it is thus written And Iesus sayde vnto him let the dead bury their dead but goe thou and preache the kingdome of
vocation This is but your veyne of rayling and your vsuall manner of extolling your selues and condemning other But as I sayde before your wordes be no sclaunder neyther will I in words contend with you but therin giue you the vpper hande only I must still let you vnderstand of your foolish applying of scriptures For wherfore haue you here quoted the tenth of Iohn vse 1. Belike bycause Christ sayth there That he whiche doth not enter in by the dore into the sheepfolde but climbeth vp an other way is a theefe and a robber therfore all such as bée placed in this Churche of England your selues excepted enter in by a popish and vnlauful vocation You had gone orderly to worke if you had firste proued that we haue not come into the shéepfold by christ If you thus omitte the proofe of your minor you may conclude what you wil and quote scriptures at your pleasure But wyse and lerned men will lament your follie and laughe at your vnskilfulnesse Of making of ministers I haue spoken before and answered the places Actes 6.14 20. sufficiently As for the other two places Ro. 12. vse 6.7.8 and .1 Cor. 9. vse 16.17 I muse why you note them they nothing at all perteyning to the making of ministers they something touche their office yet not that directly But you must be borne with least you shoulde haue séemed to youre disciples to haue sayd nothing Some of those ministers you say may tarie in their Colledge and leade the liues of loytering losels as long as they liue If you knew any suche loytering losels in any Colledge I trust you would make them knowne to other also If you knowe none suche then are you a slaunderer of Colledges and suche as be in them It were to be wished in my opinion that there were many preachers in Colledges of greater continuance than I knowe any Then should not yong factious vnruly and vndiscrete persons so greately trouble with their contentions and sects bothe vniuersities and the whole realme also I knowe no Bishops that giue out Bulles but if such preachers as remayne in Colledges or elsewhere béeing thervnto licenced by the Bishop or other that haue authoritie doe take paynes to preach where they sée occasion they are greatly to be commended and I pray God encrease the nūber of such Circumcetiōs But since this your opinion hath bene broched it hath not only driuen many frō the ministerie but also caused diuers to loyter and cease from preaching And certainely if it be not in tyme prouided for that one braunch of your doctrine wil spoyle this Churche of England bothe of preachers and preachings The rest that you write in this parte I hope is more slaunderously of you spoken than truely notwithstanding I thinke there hathe bene some ouersighte in some men whiche I trust is and will be amended if not then I wishe that Cannon of the lawe to be put in practise that suche as admit them should also prouyde for them When you say that the Bishoppes of thys Realme reigne and rule by the Canon lawe you forgette your selfe you know it is otherwise Their chiefe authoritie they haue by Gods lawe the reste by the lawes of the Realme and of the Prince but these wordes are but wordes of course with you Admonition The seuentéenth We should be too long to tell youre honoures of Cathedrall Churches the dennes aforsayd of al loytering lubbers where master Deane master Vicedeane master Canons or master Prebendaries the greater master Petie canons or Canons the lesser master Chauncelor of the Churche master Treasorer otherwyse called Iudas the purse bearer the chief Chaunter Singing men speciall fauourers of religion squeaking Queristers Organ players Gospellers Pistellers Pentioners Readers Vergers c. liue in greate idlenesse and haue their abiding If you woulde knowe whence all these came we can easyly answere you that they came from the Pope as oute of the Troian horses belly to the distruction of Gods kingdome The Churche of God neuer knewe them neither doth any reformed church in the worlde know them Answere Here you speak both without the book of Cōmon prayers and scriptures also for neither are cathedral churches conteyned in that booke neyther haue you any scripture to proue that which you so impudently affirme God be thanked it is well knowne to those that be not with malice blinded that Cathedrall Churches be furnished with godly zelous and learned men And that they be the chiefe and principall ornaments of this Realme and next to the vniuersities chiefest mainteyners of godlinesse religion and learning there be some desire the spoyle of them whose instrumentes you be But I hope both their mouthes and yours also shal be firste stopped with earth Master Deane master vicedeane master Cānons c. as much as they loyter may thinke themselues fitte to be compared with such as you are in any respects The rest of your rayling words I leaue to the Authoure You say all these come from the Pope c. It is not materiall frō whence they come so they be good profitable and necessarie for the mainteyning of religion lerning wise and learned men But I pray you from what Pope came they or in what time did the Pope inuent them I told you before that such places and Colledges were in Augustines time and that he both hath the name of master Deane and alloweth of his office If you had redde any aunciente learned authours as your writings declare you haue not then shoulde you finde that Collegiate Churches be of great antiquitie euen since the yeare of our Lorde .235 But what can you speake against Cathedrall Churches which you may not aswell speake against the Colledges in the vniuersities They were not in the Apostles time neyther yet in the primatiue Church must they therefore nowe be dissolued your meaning is belike to bring al to cōfusion and barbarisme You say no reformed church in the worlde knoweth them wherin I thinke you speak more than you knowe Can you name any reformed Church that hath plucked them downe Peraduenture in dyuers places where the Gospell is now preached they had neuer suche rewardes for learning But what haue we to do in suche cases with other reformed Churches we haue to consider what is most méete for this Churche and state and not to follow other as though we were children I sée no cause why other reformed Churches should not rather followe vs than we them seing in no respecte we be inferior to them Well to conclude your wordes be but vayne and your proofes none at all And therefore I doubte not but Cathedrall churches shall be able to withstand both your opprobrious speaches and the gréedinesse of all their aduersaries so long as it shall please God to blesse thys land with so vertuous and learned a Quéene and so wise and discréete counsellours Admonition The eightéenth And birds of the same fether are couetous patrones of benefices persons vicars
readers parish preests stipendaries and riding chaplaines that vnder the authoritie of theyr masters spoyle their flocks of the foode of their soules such seeke not the Lord Iesus but their owne bellies cloudes that are without rayne trees without frute painted sepulchers full of dead bones fatted in all abundance of iniquitie and leane locusts in all feeling knowledge and sinceritie Answere It is true that couetous patrones of benefices be a great plage to this church and one of the principall causes of rude and ignorante ministers God graunte some spéedy reformation in that point Neither can I excuse al persons vicars c. But al this is spoken without the booke and therefore not fiâ—ly of you alledged against the booke Admonition The nineteenth What shoulde we speake of the Archbishops Courte sith all men know it and your wisdome can not but see what it is As all other Courts are subiecte to this by the Popes prerogatiue yea and by statute of this Realme yet vnrepealed so is it the filthy quauemire and poysoned plashe of all the abominations that do infecte the whole Realme We speake not of licences graunted out of this Courte to marrie in forbidden tymes as in lente in aduente in the gang weeke when banners and belles with the preest in his surplesse singing Gospells and making crosses raungeth aboute in many places vppon the ember dayes and to forbidden persons and in exempte places We make no mention of licences to eate white meate and flesh in Lente and that wyth a safe conscience for rich men that can buy them with money nor we saye nothing howe dearely men pay for them As for dispensations with beneficed boyes tollerations for non resideÌ„ts bulles to haue two benefices to haue three to haue more and as many as they lift or can get these are so common that all Godly and good men are compelled with griefe of harte to crie out vpon such abhominations We omitte excommunication for money absolution for the same and that by absoluing one man for another which how contrarie it is to the scriptures the complaints of many learned men by propositions in open schooles proposed by writings in printed bookes set out and by preaching in opeÌ„ pulpits haue ben sufficiently witnessed To coÌ„clude this filthy Courte hath full power togither with the authoritie of this pettie Pope Metropolitane and primate of all England to dispence in all causes wherein the Pope was wont to dispence vnder whiche are conteyned more cases and causes than wee are able to recken As for my Lordes grace of Yorke we deale not with hym We referre him to that learned Epistle whiche Beza wrote vnto hym about these matters Answere I thinke this Court to be necessarie for the state of this Churche and Realme and if there be abuses in it eyther in the lawe it selfe or in the persons I wish it were reformed But the whole order of the Courte is not therefore to be condemned no more than it is of other Courts which cannot be missed and yet haue abuses in them I confesse my selfe to haue little experieÌ„ce in such matters and therefore I will speake the lesse thereof As I do mislike that there should be any time forbiddeÌ„ to marrie in for that can haue no good meaning or any dispensations for boyes to kéep benefices or excommunications and absolutions for money or one man to be absolued for another and if there be any other suche like abuse so do I vtterly condemne your vnsemely and vnchristian termes as filthy quauemire poysoned plashe of all abominations filthy Courte especially considering wherof they be spoken to whome and by whome they argue a scolding nature and a stomacke boyling with contempt of lawes and superiours Neither can I suffer you to slaunder not that Courte but thys Churche with manifest vntruthes as you do when you saye that banners bells and making of crosses be allowed to bee vsed in the gang weeke and that the Archebishops Courte hath full power to dispence in all causes wherin the Pope was wont to dispeÌ„ce which both be most vntrue I thinke in dispensations this Courte goeth no further than the lawes of the Realme do permitte Agreable to this spirite is your contemptuous speach vsed to both the Archbishops men to be reuerenced not only in the respecte of their yeares and authoritie but of their singuler wisdome grauitie learning and sounde religion also Howbeit you reuerence them as you do all other that be in authoritie except some whome you do but séeke to vse to bring your intents to passe I will saye no more I thinke you haue abused master Beza with your false reports which hath caused him to write otherwise than he woulde do if he knewe the whole state of the controuersie So you haue also abused other notable learned men and caused them to write according to your phansie which since that time being truly enformed haue by their letters which are to be séene both condemned your contentiousnesse and their owne to much credulitie But our faith and Churche dependes neyther vppon Master Beza nor any other man neyther do they looke for any such prerogatiue But still you are without the booke You bid vs in the margent to proue that the regiment of the Church should be spirituall reade Ephe. 1. verse 23. 1. Thessa. 5. vers 13.1 Timo. 5. vers 2. Hebr. 10. vers 30. In the place to the Ephe. the Apostle saith that God hath appointed Christ to be the head of the Church which is his body euen the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all things Here we learne that Christ is the head of the church But how proues this that the gouernement of the church is only spirituall will you hereby take away ciuill magistrates and other gouernours that God hath placed in his Church It is subtilly done of you to quote the places only and not to apply them nor to conclude of them For surely if you had layde downe the words and applied theÌ„ to your purpose not wise and learned only but very children would haue laughed you to scorne In the .1 Thess. 5. The Apostle beseecheth them to loue suche for their vvorkes sake as laboure among them are ouer them in the Lorde and admonish them What argument call you this S. Paule moues the Thessalonians to loue their pastours Ergo the gouernement of the Church is only spirituall In the first Timothie 5. vers 2. he willeth Timothie to exhorte the elder vvomen as mothers the yonger as sisters whereuppon you conclude thus elder women must be exhorted as mothers the yonger as sisters wyth all purenesse Ergo the gouernement of the Church must be spirituall In the .10 Hebr. vers 30. it is thus written For we know him that hath saide vengeance belongeth vnto me I vvill recompence saith the Lorde And againe the Lorde shall iudge his people Uengeaunce belongeth to God and he shall iudge hys people Ergo the gouernemente
that no maner of Gods honor is attributed vnto them and that they be in sighte comely and in number fewe and that Christian people be not wyth them ouerburdened and matters of greater importaunce be omitted You adde and say that they haue the shewe of euill séeing the Popish priesthoode is euill When they were a signe and token of the Popishe priesthoode then were they euill euen as the thing was which they signified but nowe they be the tokens and the signes of the ministers of the worde of God which are good and therefore also they be good no man in this Churche of Englande is so ignorante but that he knoweth this apparell not to be nowe the signes of a Massing priest but of a lawfull minister wherefore it is a shewe of good euen as it is in the lyke maner in the Uniuersities a shewe and signe of degrées in learning and therfore a showe of good excepte you will also condemne degrées of learning Neither is if any straunge matter for the selfe same thing in others respectes and at diuers times to be the signe bothe of good and euill The belles were a signe of euill when they were roong to call to Masse and to stay stormes and tempestes the selfe same belles are now a signe of good when they bée roong to sermons and other godly actions The Churches them selues were a signe of euill when Idolatrie was committed in them and false doctrine preached nowe they be a signe of good when God is rightly worshipped in them and his worde truely preached Many such examples I could bring but a reasonable man can gather of these sufficiently to confute your errour Furthermore when we be willed to abstayne from all shewe of euill it is ment of euill life and euill doctrine least we do any thing with a scrupulous conscience They worke discorde they hinder the preaching of the Gospell This is an argument à non causa ad causam it is not the apparell that worketh discorde or hindreth the preaching of the Gospell no no more than it is the worde of God that engendreth heresies or wyne that maketh dronke or the sworde that murdreth or the lawe that worketh iniurie c. But it is the sinister affection the rebellious nature the contentious minde of man For who began this contention or when was it begonne Truely if the lawe for apparell were vtterly abrogated yet would not your contention cease nay it woulde burst out muche more vehamently and in farre greater matters as this your admonition declareth And therefore I thinke rather that the lawe for apparell will stay further contentions especially if it bée duely executed They keepe the memorie of Egypte still amongest vs and put vs in minde of that abhomination wherevnto they in times past haue serued No truely no more than doth the Church the Pulpit the belles c. but they teache vs the true vse of Christian libertie and that all things be cleane to those that be cleane Finally that godly men may well vse that which wicked haue abused howsoeuer vngodly They bring the ministerie into contempte Onely with you and suche as you by your continuall crying out agaynst them haue deluded contemners of good orders lawes and statutes are to be seuerely punished for their contempt Good lawes orders and statutes are not to be altered or dissolued bicause by suche as forget their dueties they are contemned They offende the weake and encourage the obstinate Those that be offended with thē think them selues most strong and glory therein with condemning of others The obstinate be encouraged through the schismes and contentions that you trouble the Churche and slaunder the Gospell with which one day you will vnderstande if in time you do not repent Admonition Therfore can no authoritie by the worde of God with any pretence of order disobedience commaunde them nor make them in any wise tollerable but by circumstances they are wicked and agaynst the worde of God. Answere Nowe you come to the poynt where you would haue it it is the marke you shoote at to spoyle the magistrate of all authoritie in things indifferent especially in ecclesiasticall matters But you set it downe onely without proofe wherefore I will thus briefly answere to your bare words vntil you bring some proofe that this your assertion is both Anabaptisticall and Papisticall and contrarie also to the worde of God and all learning Admonition If this be not playne inough by that whiche is already sette foorth wee mynde by Gods grace to make it playner and shoulde do it better if it were as lawfull for vs as for oure aduersaries to publishe our myndes in print then shoulde appeare what slender stuffe they bring that are so impudent by open writing to defende it And if it might please hir Maiestie by the aduise of you right Honorable in this highe Court of Parliamente to heare vs by writing or otherwise to defend our selues then such is the equitie of our cause that we would trust to finde fauour in hir maiesties sight then those patched Pamphlets made by soden vpstarts and newe conuertes should appeare in their colours and truth haue the victorie and God the glory if this can not be obteyned we will by Gods grace addresse our selues to defende his truthe by suffering and willingly lay our heads to the blocke And this shall be our peace to haue quiet consciences with our God whom we will abide for with all patience vntill he make our full deliueraunce Answere And I will not spare my labour from time to time to vtter my minde and conscience in these matters protesting that if by learning you can persuade me I will say agayne with Augustine Errare possum haereticus esse nolo All the rest of your stoute and suspicious bragges of your vndecent and vnséemely words I let passe and leaue them to be considered as notes of your spirite and modestie The Quéenes maiestie may assure hir selfe that she hath of learned men a number sufficient able by learning to maynteine both hir authoritie and lawes whiche hir Maiestie hath hitherto vsed and made for the furtheraunce of the Gospell and maynteining of good order and peace in the Churche The Lorde of his infinite goodnesse long preserue hir and giue vs thankefull hearts to God for hir The thirde article That the articles of Religion which onely concerne the true Christian fayth and the doctrine of the Sacramentes comprised in a booke imprinted Articles wherevpon it was agreed by bothe Archbyshops c. and euery of them conteyne true and godly Christian doctrine Admonition For the Articles concerning the substaunce of doctrine vsing a godly interpretation in a poynte or two which are either too sparely or else too ▪ darkly set downe we were and are readie according to duetie to subscribe vnto them We would to God that as they holde the substaunce togither with vs and we with them so they woulde not denie the effecte and
obijciunt obstacula atque remorae ab illis quoque exortae qui maximè Euangelici volunt videri Verum per initia reformationis Ecclesiae nostrae eadem nos exercuit molestia Erant enim quibus nihil in reformando satis purum videbatur vnde ab Ecclesia sese segregabant conuenticula peculiaria constituehant quae mox consequibantur schismata sectae variae quae iucnudum spectaculum exhibebant hostibus nostris papistiois Sed innotuit tandem ipsorum Hypocrisis ataxta suaque sponte diffluxêre Liberabit hac molestia vos haud dubie clemens misericors Dominus c. The same in Englishe FIrst of all we reioyce with you for the wonderfull felicitie of your moste gracious Queene in quieting of troubles in ouerthrowing of hir enimies in keeping of hir subiects in obedience and for hir wyse and couragious sifting out of the mischeeuously vvrapped practizes of traytors And vve do earnestly pray vnto God that he wil not only continue these so great graces in hir but also increase them and that he will defende hir from all euill This virgin Prince beloued of God in the iudgement of all good men excelleth all the men Princes that novv reigne in the vvorlde in vvisedome in modestie in mercy in iustice in dexteritie and maruellous happinesse in all hir affayres so that vndoubtedly the godly of al nations do comfort them selues and are confirmed in the true religion for that they do euidently see Christe the Lorde so mightily to fauour his seruaunt and to preserue hir in glory and all maner vertue before Heroicall and diuine Princes But vve are not a lyttle sory that in your spreading of the truthe and enlarging of the limittes of Christes church so many stops and stayes are cast agaynst you and they springing from them that vvill seeme moste Euangelicall For in the beginning of the reformation of our Churche the same grieues occupied vs for there vvere some vnto vvhom in reforming nothing might seeme sufficiently pure in so muche that they separated them selues from the churche and appoynted priuate conuenticles the vvhich there did presently follovv schismes and diuers sectes and they were a pleasaunt spectacle to our enimies the Papistes But at the length their hypocrisie and disorder dyd appeare and they vanished of their ovvne accorde The mercifull and gracious Lorde shall deliuer you also no doubt from this trouble c. A briefe answere to certain Pamphlets spred abroade of late I HAVE of late receyued thre litle Pamphlets the first as it were a preface to the other two the seconde entituled An exhortation to the Bishops to deale brotherly with their brethren The thirde An exhortation to the Bishops and theyr cleargie to answere a little Booke that came foorth the last Parliament and to other brethren to iudge of it by Gods worde vntill they see it aunswered and not be caried awaye with any respect of men The Preface consisteth of these poynts especially first by diuers examples it is there declared that the wicked and vngodly of this world coulde neuer away with such as woulde reproue them for their manyfest sinnes and vngodlynesse Secondly that this is the cause why these two Treatises which wer lately written and imprinted in the last Parliament time c. were of so many mysliked and the authors thereof so cruelly entreated and straightly imprisoned c. Thirdly it rayleth on the Bishops and suche as be in authoritie comparing them to false prophets and to Phariseys c. Laste of all it concludeth wyth threatenyng that if they goe forewarde in their sinnes their doings shall bée with more bitternesse of woordes and playnenesse of speache throwne into their faces The first is néedlesse for who knoweth not that from tyme to tyme it hath ben the maner of such as wer desperatly wicked not to suffer their sins opeÌ„ly to be reproued The seconde is false vncharitable and slaunderous for the cause why the bookes bée not estéemed especially of the wise and learned is the vntrue doctrine conteyned in them maynteyned with vntrue and vnapt allegations of the Scriptures and interlaced with opprobrious termes and rayling speaches tendyng to the disquietnesse of the Churche and ouerthrow of true religion The authors therof to be imprisoned not for telling any man of his sinnes but for writing Libels agaynste this whole Churche of Englande agaynst the booke of Common-prayers agaynste the ministerie agaynst the Sacramentes fynally agaynst the whole forme and gouernement of the Churche by the whole consent of this realme established according to the rule of Gods word And with what face can you say that they be imprisoned for telling men of their sins â–ª where euer read you or herd you that any of the Prophets or apostles told meÌ„ of their sins by liâ—els Surely that kinde of dealing is not for the Apostles of Christ but for the ministers of Sathan The thirde commeth of the same spirite that the seconde dothe that is of the spirite of arrogancie and malice for it compareth godly wyse zealous and learned Bishops to idolatrous Priests and â—o Phariseys but in déede the conditions and qualities of the Phariseys doo moste aptely agrée wyth the authours of these Libelles and theyr adherentes for the Phariseyes didde all that they did to bée séene of men and soughte the commendation of the common people as appeareth Matthew 6. and .23 and so doo they The Phariseys when they fasted disfygured theyr faces and these walkyng in the streates hang downe their heades looke austerely and in companie sighe muche and seldome or neuer laughe the Phariseys strayned out a gnat and swallowed down a Camell And these men thinke it an heynous offence to weare a cap or a surplesse but in slaundring and back-biting their brethren in rayling on them by Libelles in contemning of superiors and discrediting suche as be in authoritie to be shorte in disquieting the Churche and state they haue no conscience The Phariseys separated themselues from the common sorte of men as more holy and contemned the poore Publicanes as sinners And therfore some learned interpreters thinke that they bée called Pharisaei quasi segregati quod vitae sanctimonia a vielgi moribus vita separati essent noÌ„ aliter atque monachi quos Chartusianos vocant They be called Phariseis as separated and deuided from the coÌ„mon sort in holynesse of lyfe muche like vnto the Monks which be called Carthusians And Iosephus sayth that they were called Phariseys bycause they séemed to bée more holy than other and more cunnyngly to expounde the lawe Also hée sayeth this to bée one propertie of theirs that what so euer theyr owne reason persuadeth them Id sequuntur pertinaciter that they stubbornely followe Agayne hée sayth that they bée astutum hominum genus arrogans interdum Regibus quoquâ— infestum c. A suttle kynde of men arrogante and sometymes ennimies to Kinges and rulers These men separate them selues also from the congregation
and wyll communicate wyth vs neyther in prayers hearing the worde nor sacramentes they confemne and despise all those that bée not of their secte as polluted and not worthye to be saluted or kepte company with and therfore some of them méeting their olde acquayntance béeyng godlie Preachers haue not onely refused to salute them but spitte in theyr faces wishyng the plague of God to lyghte vpon them and saying that they were damned and that God had taken his spirite from them and all this bycause they did weare a cap wherefore when they talke of Phariseys they plucke themselues by the noses But Lorde what a straunge tyme is this when suche as they bee dare thus boldly publishe libelles agaynst their superiors for maynteyning and executing good and godly lawes The conclusion of this Preface is a stoute presumptuous and malaperte threatning in my opinion not to be suffered but howe soeuer your penne and toung walketh yet I pray you holde your handes or else c. In this portion entituled An exhortation to the Bishoppes to deale brotherly with theyr brethren There is no greate matter conteyned worthye of answering onely the authour dothe excuse himselfe for takyng vppon hym that exhortation and moueth the Byshoppes to deale brotherly with the authors of the Admonition Fyrst bicause they be their brethren Secondly bicause they oughte firste to haue discouered vnto the worlde by the worde of God howe truely or falsly they haue written Thirdly bicause they do but disclose the disorders of our Churche of Englande and humbly desire a reformation of the same according to the rule of Gods word c. Fourthly that Papistes lye abroade in their dioces vntouched c. Fifthly that many leude light bookes and balades flie abroade printed not onely without reprehension but Cum priuilegio Lykewyse in the same booke the Author séemeth to iustifie the Admonition and to condemne the Lordship and authoritie of Byshops ascribing thervnto the stay and hinderance of their pretenced reformation charging them after a sort with mangling the Scriptures of God and with snaring the godlie with suche lawes as were purposely made for the wicked These be the principall contentes of that booke The first reason that is that they be their brethren might aswell be alledged for the impuritie of Anabaptists Arrians and such like who pretende the synceritie of Gods woorde and would be counted brethren Yea it might aswell be alledged for many other male faâ—tours who be also brethren and yet must not therefore escape vnpunished for their offences Shall not the Prince and the magistrate execute lawes vppon such as breake them bycause they be their brethren in Christ beware of such doctrine let not affectioÌ„ in priuate mens causes carry you headlong into publique errours But I thinke you are in this point deceiued for how so euer we accoÌ„pt them our brethren yet they accoÌ„pt not vs their brethren neither wil they acknowledge vs so to be as some of theÌ„ bothe in open speach and manifest signes haue declared And therefore when the Bishops deale with them they deale with such as disdayne to be called their brethren To their seconde reason I answere that I thinke they haue bene talked with and herd what they haue to say for them selues but their hawtie mindes and good opinion conceiued of them selues will not suffer them to sée their errours In this reason you alledge nothing for them but that which may also be alledged for the Papistes or any other sect of heretikes But it is an olde saying Turpe est doctori c. How happeneth if that they them selues haue first defamed not the Bishops onely but also this whole Churche of England with publique libelles before they haue vsed brotherlie and priuate conference This is to spye a mote in another mans eye c. How true the third reason is may appeare in my answere to their AdmonitioÌ„ But how true so euer it were yet their disordered disclosing by vnlawfull meanes that is by libelling deserueth as much punishement as hitherto they haue had for the truth nedeth no such vngodly meanes of disclosing If Papists go abrode vnpunished when by lawe they may be touched surely it is a great faulte and can not be excused and I pray God it may be better looked to But this is no good and sufficient reason for the impunitie of other Bicause some Papists be not punished shall therefore no disordered persons be punished Or bycause some in authoritie winke at some Papists shall therefore no lawes be executed towards any offendours Surely touching malice against the forme and state of this our Church I sée no great differeÌ„ce betwixte them and the Papists and I thinke verily they both conspire togither The same answere I make to your fifte reason shall no booke be suppressed bycause some be not It is a fault I confesse to suffer leude ballets and bookes touching manners But it were a greater faulte to suffer bookes and libells disturbing the peace of the Church and defacing true religion Concerning the titles and offices of Byshops I haue spoken sufficiently before In mangling wresting of the scriptures none offend so muche as do the Authours of the Admonition who in that pointe are comparable to the Papistes as may bée séene by the learned and diligent reader If they whome they terme godly do willingly offend against suche lawes as were made for the wicked they are to be punished according to the lawes neyther are they to be spared bicause they pretende godlinesse For there is no godlinesse in breaking of lawes The thirde scroule called An exhortation to the Bishops and their clergie to aunswere a litle boke c is satisfied I trust for I haue as it is there required aunswered the shorte and peuish pamphlet as they terme it I haue disclosed their double and corrupte dealing their wringing of the scriptures to serue their turne and haue declared the true sense and meaning of them I haue not bumbasted it with rethoricke but in plaine and simple manner vttered my iudgement according to the true meaning and sense of the scriptures Notwithstanding I haue in sundrie points declared the vse of the Churche of Christ in times past and do vse the testimonie of auncient councells and learned fathers whiche these vnlearned men vnlearnedly contemne a thing not hearde of in any age or Church nor allowed of any learned man but only of certaine heretiques and especially Anabaptists To be shorte I haue not answered the booke by péeces but wholy How be it I must desire them to pardon me for not making more spéede wyth mine Answere their friuolous quotations so troubled me and my other businesse that I could no sooner make an ende of it In all the rest of that deriding Pamphlet there is nothing of any moment worth the answering Therefore as they alledge this portion of a sentence taken out of Saincte Augustine in his epistle ad Vincen. Si terrerentur non docerentur
improba quasi dominatio videretur If they should be feared and not taughte it mighte seeme a wicked gouernaunce so I conclude with the other parte of the same sentence Si docerentur non terrerentur vetustate consuetudinis obdurarentur ad capescendaÌ„ viaÌ„ salutis pigrius mouereÌ„tur If they shold be taught and not feared in time they woulde waxe stubborne and be the hardlier moued to embrace the way of saluation ¶ A briefe viewe of the seconde Admonition I Haue also receyued a seconde Admonition to the ParliameÌ„t the Authoure whereof vndertaketh to teach how to reforme those things whiche the other Admonition found fault with I shall not néede to make any long discourse of it neyther will I The aunswere to the first Admonition is an answere to this also Only I thought it good to note vnto you that this booke consisteth of these points especially First it iustifieth the authours of the first Admonition séemeth to complaine that they haue not iustice bicause they appealing to the highest Courte of Parliament their appeale woulde not be receiued And therefore they say the scripture is plaine that it shal be easier for Sodom Gomorra in the day of iudgement than for suche a Courte meaning the Court of Parliament they quote for that purpose in the margent the .10 of Math. vers 14.15 which is a shameful prophanation of the scripture an egregious slander to that honorable Courte The iustnesse of the appeale I leaue to the Iustices and skilfull lawyers to be considered of for it is not within the compasse of my facultie Only I thinke that that scroule can haue no defence of Parliament first bycause it is a Libell secondly bicause it was published in printe before the Parliament was made priuie vnto it In this parte these words of theirs would be wel considered there is no other thing to be looked for than some speedy vengeance to light vppon the whole lande prouide as well as the politique Macheuills of EnglaÌ„d thinke they can though God do his worst It would be knowne whome they meane by these politique Macheuills For they enuie all men of great authoritie wit and pollicie The seconde parte consisteth only of rayling wordes and slanderous accusatioÌ„s first against this whole church of England for they say that we are scarce come to the outward face of a church rightly reformed and that althogh some truth be taught by some preachers yet no preacher may without greate danger of the lawes vtter all truth comprised in the booke of god c. And a litle after they ad say that the truth in a manner doth but peepe out behind the screene which speches as they be very vntrue for who knoweth not that the Gospel is wholy publikely fréely preached in this church of EnglaÌ„d so they be slanderous neither can the Papists speak any worse In this part also to proue that this is no true saying in maters of pollicie gouernmeÌ„t it is not repugnaÌ„t to the word of god therfore it may be vsed is alledged this saying of Christ. Math. 12. He that is not with me is against me But they haue forgoteÌ„ the words of christ Mar. 9. qui non est aduersus nos pro nobis est He that is not against vs is with vs. Wherevpon we may much better coÌ„clude that that which is not repugnaÌ„t to the scripture is consonaÌ„t to the Scripture than they can doo the contrary of the former place Notwithstanding in both these places as I thinke Christe speaketh rather of men and persons than of things themselues In the same parte their speach of the Quéenes supremacie is very suspicious it would be demaunded of theÌ„ what they think in déede of hir maiesties authoritie in ecclesiastical matters for in this pointe they haue hitherto delte very subtilly and closely notwithstaÌ„ding their meaning may easily be perceiued of such as diligently coÌ„sider their bookes Likewise in this parte they note certayne contrarieties in this Churche as betwixte the Communion boke and Iniunctions touching wafers the Communion booke and Aduertisementes concerning Churche vestures the Cannons and the PoÌ„tificall in not ordering of ministers sine titulo and such like matters of no importance which iustifie rather this church thaÌ„ otherwise for surely if they had had weightier matters they would no doubt haue alledged them But in these same matters they are muche deceiued for as I suppose in matters of ornaments of the Church and of the ministers thereof the Quéenes maiestie togither with the Archbishop or the commissioners in causes ecclesiastical haue authoritie by Acte of parliameÌ„t to alter and appointe such rytes and ceremonies as shall from time to time be thought to them most conueniente To be shorte in that pointe they saye that in thinges of order one Churche maye many times differ from another without offence following the generall rules of scripture for order as in appointing time and place for prayers c. whiche is a very true saying and flat contrary to all that is saide either in the first admonitioÌ„ or in this second For if such things may be appointed in the church not being expressed in the word of God but depending vppon this generall rule Let all thinges be done decently and in order 1. Cor. 14. then surely the magistrate hath authoritie in such matters to appoint what shall be thought vnto them most conuenient so that it be not repugnant to â—o y word of God excepte you will make this the question whether in suche matters we oughte to be directed by the magistrates and gouernours of the Churche or by euery priuate pastoure in his seuerall charge The thirde parte of this booke condemneth the degrées of Doctors Bachilers of diuinitie and Masters of arte in the vniuersities and slaunderously vntruly and opprobriously speaketh of the vniuersities and suche as be in them presumptuously prescribing a manner of reformation for the same when as I thinke verily they knowe not what Uniuersities meane But here we may note that they séeke to ouerthrowe al learning and degrées of learning The same parte also very slaunderously and vnchristianly rayleth on some bishops by name and the rest of the clergie charging them most vn truly with sundrie things but bycause it is done by way of libelling a diuelishe kinde of reuenge therefore I trust godly and wise men will estéeme of it accordingly Besides slaunderous reports and opprobrious words there is nothing in thys parte worthy the answering In the fourth parte the Authoure taketh vppon him to set downe a plat forme of a Churche to prescribe the manner of electing ministers of their exercises of theyr equalitie of the gouernement of the Church c. Whiche surely being well considered wil appeare not only a confused plateforme without any sounde warrant of Gods worde but also a fantasticall deuise tending to the ouerthrowe of learning religion yea the whole state and gouernement of the common welth But bicause I haue
before in the confutation of the first Admonition spoken sufficiently of al these matters therfore I will only note one or two things in this parte to let you vnderstand that these platformers builde not vppon that foundation that they woulde haue others so strictly bounde vnto For let them tell me vppon what scripture this is grouÌ„ded Let no one minister medle in any cure saue his owne but as he is appointed by common consente of the nexte conference or counsells prouinciall or nationall or further if it may fall out so generall of all Churches reformed Or this That the ministers muste be equall and that some must be gouerned by all and not al by some Or that the pastor or teacher in euery congregation ought to be the principall of the consistorie of their congregation Or that Many parishes may be ioyned in one and haue one pastor and yet that it is vnlawfull for one pastor to haue many parishes Or that In the meane whyle till preachers increase to furnishe the places vnfurnished vpon coÌ„ference among the learned some discrete man be appoynted to make some entiet prayer c. Or that it is euill so ofte to repeate Glory be to the father c. Lorde haue mercy vpon vs c. or the Lordes prayer For the text which they alledge for the same Math. 6. is wickedly wrested and corruptly alledged for the words of Christe be not as they translate them When you pray 〈…〉 that is many words without fayth and the inwarde affection of the minde is forbidden Paule 1. Thessa. 5. saith Pray continually And Christ Math. 6. sayth Pray on this maner Our father c. So that of necessitie we muste oftentimes repeate the Lordes prayer if we will beléeue Christe and his Apostle Paule But Lorde what strange doctrine is this to call Glory bee to the father c. Lorde haue mercy vpon vs c. Our father c popishe Surely these men as I suppose be not well in their wittes These and a number of other phansies they haue in this booke which they can not grounde vpon any scripâ—ures but by wringing and wresting of them and in déede their séeeking is to haue all thinges framed according to their fansies that they may be accompted planters and platformers of Churches I omitte this that the Author boasteth that he and many others will set them selues agaynst vs as the professed enimies of the church of Christ For the matter is not great neither shall theâ— in that poynt deale any otherwise with vs than 〈◊〉 Anabaptistes Arrianâ— and other Heretikes haue 〈◊〉 with other Churches This shall be sufficient for an answere to that booke bicause all other matters of substaunce are by me answered before in the former confutation Articles collected out of the former Admonition and vntruely sayd of the fautors of that Admonition to be falsified TO the end of the second AdmonitioÌ„ there is ioyned A reprofe of certen Articles collected as it is thought by the byshops for so they say out of a little booke entituled An admonition to the Parliament c. But as I think it may rather be termed a recantation or if you will a reformatioÌ„ or mitigation of certen articles in that first admonition rashly set downe and without learning or discretion printed 1. Fol. 3. li. 1. pa. 2. First they holde and affirme that we in EnglaÌ„d are not yet come to the outward face of a Church agreable to gods word Here you find fault that this word scarce is left out In déede this worde scarce was written in the margent of diuers copies of the first admonition whether it were so in al or no I know not no more do I whether any suche collection as you pretend was made But what néed you so much sticke in words when the thing is manyfest For in effect they denie as much as that propositioÌ„ importeth they wholly coÌ„demne the ministerie the ceremonies and the gouernement of this Church They say the sacrameÌ„ts be ful of corruptioÌ„s and in their second AdmonitioÌ„ fol. 42. they say that the sacraments are wickedly mangled prophaned they vtterly condemne our order maner of coÌ„mon prayer yea in effect our doctrine also for in their secoÌ„d AdmonitioÌ„ fol. 7. they say that although some truth be taught by some preachers yet no precher may with out daÌ„ger of the lawes vtter all truth coÌ„prised in the booke of god What can be spoken more sleÌ„derly of the doctrine preached in this church A man may truly speake as much of the Romish church for some truthe is taught by some Papistes yea some truth is taught by some Iew and Turke When therfore you say that in this Churche neither the worde is truely preached nor the Sacraments sincerely ministred nor yet Ecclesiasticall discipline which thrée in the first Admonition Fol. 3. is sayde to be the outwarde markes wherby a true christian Churche is knowne and also condemne our ministerie as Popish and vnlawfull with the whole gouernement of our Church as you do in playne termes may it not be truely sayde that you affirme vs in Englande as yet not to be come to the outwarde face of a Churche agreable to Gods worde Furthermore what doth this word scarce helpe the matter doth it not import as muche It is a rule in Philosophie quod vix fit non fit that vvhich is scarâ—e done is not done 2 They will haue the ministers to be called allowed and placed by the people You say that this article is falsified and yet their words in that place of their admonitioÌ„ be these Then election was made by the common consent of the whole Churche And a little after Then no minister placed in any congregation without the coÌ„sent of the people Wherfore the collection is very true and they belike ashamed of their doings and therfore they haue corrected these assertions in their second edition of their first admonitioÌ„ on this sort Then election was made by the elders with the common consent of the whole Churche Surely these men be past shame else would they not denie their owne written assertions 4. Lin. 9. They holde that a byshop at no hand hath authoritie to ordeyne ministers This article you confesse to be truely gathered but now you make this glose not alone and yet in their Admonition it is in flat termes that the ordering of ministers doth at no hande appertaine to bishops 6. Lin. 28. They wil haue the ministers at their owne pleasure to preache without licence This is true by your owne coÌ„fession for you will haue no other licence but your calling to the ministerie which must bee as you say by the congregation Here you shut out both the Princes licence and the Bishops 7. Lin. 13 fol. 17. lin 6. pa. 1. Whatsoeuer is set downe in this article is manyfestly affirmed in the Admonition and your Answere to it is friuolous and nothing to the purpose For in the first parte of the Admonition fol. 2.
pag. 1. These be the words In those days knowne by voyce learning and doctrine now they must be discerned from other by Popishe and Antichristian apparel as cap gowne tippet c. And in the second part speaking of the apparell prescribed to ministers they say on this sorte There is no order in it but confusion no comlynesse but deformitie no obedience but disobedience both against God and the Prince Are you not then ashamed to say that this article they will haue the minister discerned from others by no kynde of apparell and the apparell appoynted they terme Antichristian and the apparell appoynted by the Prince disobedience against the Prince is falsifyed Fol. 4. lin â— pag. 2. They will haue all Archebishops Bishops Archdecons c. together with their offices iurisdictions Courts and liuings cleane taken awaye and with speede remoued You say that this is falsifyed in part bicause there is left out Lords grace Iustice of peace QuoruÌ„ c. Surely the article is truly collected in euery poynte and playnly affirmed in the .2 leaf of the first part of that Admonition As for your giuing words that follow they bée but wynd I warrant you the confutation will abide the light and the author will shew his face whyche you are ashamed to doe 9. Lin. 9. The article is truly collected Looke in the first part of that Admonition fol. 2. pag. 2. fol. 3. And in the second part of that Admo fol. 1. pag. 2. fol. 5. pag. 1. 17. Lin. 12. The collection is true for their wordes bée these They simply as they receyued it from the Lord we sinfully mixed with mans inuentioÌ„s deuises And therfore you vntruly say that it is falsified 19. Lin. 16. They will haue no godfathers nor godmothers You say that this article is also vtterly falsified what meane you so to forget your selfe Is it not thus written in the first part of the first Admonition fol. 3. pag. 2. and as for baptisme it was inough with them if they had water and the partie to be baptised fayth the minister to preach the worde and minister the sacraments Now we muste haue surplesse deuised by Pope Adrian Interrogatories ministred to the infant godfathers and godmothers brought in by Higinus c. Howe say you Are not godfathers and godmothrs here disallowed Wherfore be they else in this place recited or why are they here ascribed to Pope Higinus Wil you nowe allow any thing in the Churche inuented by the Pope â— In déede in the seconde edition of this firste Admonition these words godfathers godmothers broughte in by Higinus be cleane left out as I haue before noted Wherfore either you haue not read the diuersitie of their editions or else you are very impudent 22. Fol. 8. in fine I maruell why you say that this collection is falsified Looke fol. vlt. pag. 2. of the firste parte of the Admonition Out of the second treatise called A view of Popishe abuses remayning Fol. 10.10 pa. 1. lin 33. Reading of seruice or homilies in the Churche is as euill as playing on a stage and worse too You saye that this is falsified Lord God what meane you In the seconde leafe of that booke these be their direct words Reading is not feeding but it is as euill as playing vpon a stage and worse too To the same effecte they speake diuers times and so do the Authours of the seconde Admonition Surely eyther they are ashamed of their doings or else you haue not with diligence read their bookes Thus breefly to haue answered to your vniust accusation of falsly collecting certaine articles out of the Booke entituled An admonition c. shal be sufficient Other articles which you say be gathered out of the same booke and confesse to be true I haue omitted bicause they bée sufficiently answered by me in the confutation and your confirmation of them is vsuall and childishe I woulde wishe that suche as be wyse men and in authoritie would diligently consider that whiche you aunswere to the article Fol. 14. as you quote it touching the gouernement of the Churche and the authoritie of Princes and their lawes and likewyse that which is written concerning the same matters in the second Admonition I wil make them neyther better nor worse but wish the magistrates well to marke your iudgements opinions in these matters and to foresée the worst The Lord blesse this realme of Englande with the continuance of his Gospel long life of the Quéenes maiestie peace bothe foreyne and domesticall Amen Bulling aduers Anabap fol. 1. Idem fol. 1.11.18.87.102.244 Fol. 9 18. Fol. 9.18.77 Fol. 1. Fol. 10. Fol. 11.17 Fol. 11. Fol 10.214 Fol 19. Fol. 19.95.242 Fol 178. Fol. 11.242 Fol. 11. Fol. 17.77 Fol. 18. Fo. 78.244 Fol. 78. Fol. 79. Fol 85. Fol. 88. Fol. 95. Fol. 11. Fol. 11. a â— Thess 5.21 Iam. 1.19 20. Iam. 2 1. b Math. 15.23 Luc. 16.15 c Math. 20.25.26 Math. 23.8.9.10 Marc. 10.42.43 Luc 22.15 c. d Math. 24.48.49 e Math. 9.37.38 Ephesi 4.11.12 f Mat. 18.15.16.17 g pro. 29 18. Amoâ— 8.11.12 c. Ma. 21.23 c 1. Cor. 11.30 h Mat. 10.16.26 i Esai 59.1 k Exod. 23.1.2 Math. 7.1.2 Iam. 4.11.12 l 1. Cor. 5.20 1. Cor. 7.27 m Psalm 50.15 Math. 7.7 1. Tim. 2.1.2 a 2. Reg. 23. 2. Chro. 17. 2. Chro. 29.30.31 Psal. 132.2.3.4 Mat. 21.12 Iohan. 2.15 b Deute 4.2 Deut. 12.32 c Psal. 37.27 Rom. 12.9 d 1. Cor. 2.14 e Psalm 31.6 Psal. 13 9.22 f Iohan. 15.21 g 1. Tim 3.8 h Math. 7.6 i Math. 11.31 1. Corin. 11. l Acts. 1.12 Acts. 6.3 1. Tim. 3.2.7.8 Tit. 1.6 m 1. Reg. 12.31 n Rom. 2.14 o Hebr. 5.4 Ezech. 44.10 12.13 Ierem. 23. p 1. Tim. 4.11 q Ministers of London enioyned to learne maister Novvels Catechisme r Act. 1.26 s Act. 6.2.3 t Act. 14.13 2. Cor. 8.19 u Acts. 1.25 w 1. Tim 4.14 x Act 20.28 Ephe. 4.11 Tit. 1.5 1. â—â—t 5.2 y 14.23 z Esaie 5.8 〈…〉 * Philip. 2.20 25. Colos. 1.7 Luke 9.2 a 1. Samuel 9.28 Mat 26.48 Mat. 26.73 b Iohan 6.38 Iohan. 12.49 1 Cor. 11.23 c 1. Timo. 3.1 d Philip. 4.11 2 Cor. 6.4.8.10 f Mat. 23.11.12 Luc 22.25 1. Cor 4.14 1. Petr. 5.2.3 g Rom. 8.26 1. Timo. 1.2 h Damasus the first inuenter of this stuffe well furthered by Gregorie the seuenth i Math. 28.19 1. Cor. 14.35 The first appointer herof was Victor 1. Anno. 198. k 1. Cor. 11 18. l Act. 15.10 m Exod. 20.9 n 1. Pet. 5.2 o 1. Tim. 4.2 p Phili. 2.20.21 q Act 1.26 6.2.3.14.13 r 1. Pâ—t 5.2 s Act. 20.28 t Math. 3.12 u Marc. 1.5 1 Cor. 11.18 w 28.19 1. Cor. 4.1 a Act. 2.46 Act. 20.7 c Mat. 26 20. Mar 14.18 Luc 22 14. Iohn 13.28 e Mat. 26 26. Mar. 14.22 1. Co. 11.24 f Telesphorus in Anno. 130. g 1 Corin. 5 11. h 1. Cor. 11.23 i Act. 8.35.36.37 Act. 10.47
vertue thereof then shoulde not our wordes and workes be deuorced but Christe shoulde bee suffered to reigne a true ministerie according to the worde instituted discipline exercised Sacramentes purely and sincerely ministred this is that we striue for and about which we haue suffered not as euill doers but for resisting poperie and refusing to bee stoong with the tayle of Antichristian infection ready to render a reason of our fayth to the stopping of all our enimies mouthes Wee therefore for the Churche of Gods sake whiche ought to be moste deare vnto you beseeche you for our Soueraignes sake vppon whom we pray that all Gods blessing may be poured abundantly wee pray you to consider of these abuses to reforme Gods Churche according to youre dueties and callings that as with one mouth we confesse one Christe so with one consente this raigne of Antichriste may bee turned oute headlong from amongest vs and Christe our Lord may reigne by his worde ouer vs So your seates shal be established and setled in great assurance you shall not neede to feare youre enemies for God will turne awaye his threatned plagues from vs whiche hee in mercie do for his Christes sake Amen Answere It is very well that you so lyke of the Articles but yet it pleaseth you not to subscribe vnto them You saye bycause of a poynt or two whiche are eyther too sparely or else to darkly set downe but in déede your meaning is to subscribe to nothing whiche by authoritie you are required to doe and that argueth an arrogante mynde and a disposition that loueth alwaye to bée singuler You note in the margent that the right gouernement of the Churche can neuer be separated from the doctrine But by your owne confession we haue the doctrine Ergo of necessitie we also haue the ryght gouernemente Here in few woords you haue caste downe whatsoeuer you séemed before to buyld so do commonly vnskilfull buylders I woulde to God that for so much as contrarie to your former assertion you nowe confesse that wée haue the veritie of doctrine you coulde be contente to saye downe great heart and submitte youre selues to the Quéenes Maiestie and hir lawes accordyng to your duetie then no doubt Christe shoulde withoute resistance reigne in this Churche and the frutes of the Gospell would much more appeare You bragge muche of youre suffering You are little beholden to youre neyghbours when you are thus constrayned to prayse your selues But I pray you whether dothe he persecute that modestely and soberly defendeth the truth or he that vnlawfully reuengeth himself withrayling and backbyting you loue very well to haue the worlde knowe howe greately you be persecuted And therfore if one of you here in Cambridge be punished but twentie pens for his open contempte of statutes to the which he is sworne in poste hast it is caried into al quarters and especially to London where great complaynte is made of this gréeuous persecution when as you your disciples ceasse not as I sayde moste falsly and slaunderously to reporte of suche as executyng good lawes discharge theyr conscience to GOD and their duetie towardes the Prince Wée therfore exhorte you if there be any feare of God before your eyes any reuerence towardes the Prince any desire of promoting the Gospell any louing affection towardes the Church of Christ to submit your selues according to youre duties to godly orders to leaue of contentiousnesse to ioyne with vs in preaching of the worde of God and beating downe the kyngdom of Antichrist that this your diuision procure not Gods wrath to be poured vppon vs. Additions detractions and alterations in this second part of the Admonition Folio 1. THere is added portuis For where before they sayd that our booke of Common prayers was culled and picked out of that popish dunghil the Masseboke nowe vpon better aduisement they saye that it was culled out of the portuis and massebooke It derogated nothing from the booke of Common prayers bicause some thing therin is in the portuis and massebook no more thā it derogateth from the Scriptures that some portion of them as the whole Psalmes and certain other portions of the Epistles Gospels and other Scripture be in the same neyther are they allowed bicause they be in the portuis and massebooke but bicause they be eyther scripture or most agréeable thervnto They also adde in the first reason that the cōming of women in vailes to be churched is not commaunded by law but yet the abuse to be great by reasō that superstition is growen therby in the heartes of many other are iudged that vse it not This is an argumēt of their former rashnes but not worthy any answer especially being cōfessed to be without the booke For the .120 psalm is now quoted the .121 psalm which I haue also corrected before Folio 2. For the .26 of Mat. is noted the .28 And this also I corrected in answering that place For the first to Timo. 3. vse 3. nowe they haue quoted 1. Ti. 3. vse 6. against reading ministers where S. Paule woulde not haue a minister to be a yong scholer but he speaketh nothing against reading Where it was before and minister a sacrament now is added according to their appoyntmente to what purpose I know not It was before reading is not feeding nowe it is thus amended for bare reading of the word and single seruice saying is bare feeding wherby they nowe confesse that reading is féeding althoughe it be as they saye but bare féeding Wée were in good case if the platforme of oure Churche depended vppon these men which alter their iudgements so sodeynly It is a true saying Conueniet nulli qui secum disside◠ipse Howe can he agree with other that doth not agree with himself There is also added in the same lease these woordes are not the people wel nodified think you when the homilie of sweeping the church is read vnto them Surely such slouting termes are vsed of none but of nodies in déede and suche as are more méete to be fooles in playes where they may iest than to be platformers of Churches in whom wisedome learning grauitie and godlynesse is to be required I know no Homilie entituled of sweeping the Churche one there is of repairing keeping cleane of churches whether it edifie or no I referre to the wise and discrete reader to iudge when he hath perused it Fol. 3. Before it was in the seconde reason for the verye name Apocrypha testifieth that they oughte rather to be kept close thā to be vttered Now it is for the very name Apocrypha testifieth that they were read in secret and not openly This is some correction of their former rashnesse But of this matter that is of reading Homilies in the Churche I haue spoken before I omitte .2 Timothie 3. verse .6 whyche is nowe verse .16 and .2 Peter 1. verse .20 whyche is now vers .19.20.21 For these bée not matters of any greate importaunce
this reason is alledged among other euen in the boke of Common prayers And that it is not to make baptisme perfect the boke of common prayers it selfe declareth in these words And that no man shall thinke any detriment shall come to children by deferring of their confirmation he shall know for truth that it is certaine by Gods vvorde that children being baptised haue all things necessarie for their saluation and be vndoubtedly saued You adde as though the Byshop coulde giue the holy Ghost the Byshop may vse the ceremonie vsed by the Apostles that is imposition of handes may safely say this godly prayer conteyned in the boke Defend O Lord this child vvith thy heauenly grace that he may continue thine for euer and dayly encrease in thy holy spirite more and more vntill he come vnto thy euerlasting kingdome Amen And other such godly praiers ther conteyned Of any other kinde of giuing the holy ghost there is no mention in that booke and therefore these additions myght very wel haue bene left out of your libell But of the Bishops benedictiō by laying on of his hands heare Master Caluines iudgement in his Instit. cap. 19. secti 4. Talem manuum impositionem quae simpliciter loco benedictionis fiat lando et restitutam hodie in purum vsum vilim Such imposition of handes as is simplie made in the steade of blessing I do commend and vvish that it vvere restored at this day to the pure vse There shall you also reade the very self same for me manner of confirmation allowed which is now vsed in this Church of England To the ende of the eleuenth reason these wordes be added and open our eyes that we may see what that good and acceptable will of God is and be more earnest to prouoke his glorie to the which I only answere Amen In the ende of the twelfth there is something left out which they haue placed in the 13. reason but it is answered before Fol. 6. There is nothing added or altered worth the noting only in the fiftenth reason where they sayde before that we honored Byshoppes by the titles of Kings nowe they haue recanted that and condemned themselues of an vntruth for they haue left out that title In the ende of that fiftéenth article or reason this is added and whiche of them haue not preached against the Popes two swords nowe whether they vse them not thēselues Touching the Popes two swords we are of the same minde stil for the Pope contrary to the worde of God taketh from Princes vnto him selfe that authoritie whiche is due vnto them by the worde of God and woulde haue them to receiue that authoritie from him whiche he hath no power to gyue the Pope also requireth the full authoritie of a ciuill magistrate and exempteth him selfe from all subiectiō which is flat contrary to the word of God our Byshops in this Church do not challenge as of their owne right any such ciuill authoritie but only according to their duty execute that that by the Prince lawes of this Realme for iust considerations is layde vpō them Neither do they medle in all ciuill causes or exercise all ciuill iurisdiction but such only as helpeth to discipline and to the good gouernment of this church and state Wherefore we may safely preache against the Popes two swords and yet lawfully defende that iurisdiction and authoritie that any bishop hath in this Church for any thing that I knowe Fol. 7. Wheras before it was thus in the margent and. 19. reason to proue that the regiment of the church shoulde be spirituall reade Eph. 1.23 1. Thess. 5.13.1 Ti. 5.2 Heb. 10.30 now it is thus altered to proue that the regiment of the church should be spirituall read Caluine in his cōmentaries vpon these places Eph. 1.23 1. Thes. 5. 13.1 Ti. 5.2 Heb. 10.30 Belike bicause the scriptures thēselues do not sufficiētly proue your assertiō therfore you would haue vs to leaue them to reast vpon Caluines interpretation which is nothing else but to prefer mans iudgemēt before the word of god or to giue master Caluine authoritie to conclude that which is not determined by the scripture If this be not your meaning why flye you frō those places themselues to master Caluines interpretatiō vpon them But what if you now abuse master Caluines cōmentaries vpon these places as you did before the places themselues In his commentaries vpon Ephe. 1. vse 23. This is all that he sayth touching this matter Nam vtcunque Christus omnia perficiat nutu virtuteque sua tamē specialiter loquitur hic Paulus de spirituali ecclesiae gubernatione Quanquam nihil interea impedit quo minus de vniuersali mundi gubernatione accipias For howsoeuer Christ maketh perfecte all things with his becke and by his power yet Paule speaketh here especially of the spiritual gouernemēt of the church Although that in the meane time it is no hinderance why thou mayest not also vnderstād it of the vniuersall gouernement of the world These words serue litle for your purpose There is no man that doubteth but that Christe doth spiritually gouerne his Churche and raigne in the hartes of the faithfull by hys sprite But your meaning is that the gouernement of the Churche is only spirituall which you can no more gather of these wordes of Caluine than you may that the gouernemente of the whole world ought only to be spirituall The same Caluine writing vppon .1 Thessa. 5 vers 12. for the which you haue noted the .13 saith on this sorte Hoc additum videtur ad notandum spirituale regimen tametsi enim Reges quoque magistratus Dei ordinatione prosunt quia tamen ecclesiae gubernationem dominus peculiariter vult suam agnosci ideo nominatim praeesse in Domino dicuntur qui Christi nomine mandato ecclesiam gubernant This seemes to be added to note the spirituall regiment For although kings also and Magistrates do gouerne by the ordinance of God yet bycause the Lorde would haue the gouernemente of the Churche knowne peculierly to be his therefore namely they are saide to rule in the Lorde whiche gouerne the Churche in the name of Christe and by hys commaundemente Hitherto Caluine also affirmeth that whiche no man denieth that God doth by the ministerie of his worde spiritually gouerne his Church But this taketh not away the ciuill Magistrate neyther yet ciuill lawes made by the Magistrate externally also to gouerne the Churche In his Commentaries 1. Ti. 5. verse 2. he speaketh not one word of this matter for any thing that I can perceiue Vppon the place to the Hebrewes he onely sheweth that God dothe gouerne hys Churche the whiche I thinke no man is so wicked as to denye You muste more plainly sette it downe what your meaning in this matter is before you can be fully aunswered For to proue that God dothe spiritually gouerne his Churche is néedlesse being denied of none either Papiste or Protestant