their difficulties or for a need exchange any of them for some other chapter But now the Canon inhibiting all addition and exchange doth not onely sylence for euer those chapters omitted but so many moe also in our Parochiall and country Churches where our people will not come but on holidaies and where reading is most needfull in publick because â—ewe can fewer do reade in priuate as that a great part of the Bible shall neuer be read which as it crosseth the practise of the Iewes and of all Christian Churches the end of the holy Scriptures which are all written for our learning so it directly crosseth the first intention of the booke which proiected the reading of the olde Testament once and New thrise euery yeare accounting of foure chapters in euery day which takes place in Cathedrall Churches onely not in Parochiall Now how the Church may ordaine a course of drowning so much of the Canon and be innocent I doe not see ANSVVER IF the Church of England for blessings the most happy for learning the most sufficient for sincerity of Religion the most reformed and for Lawes and ordinations that concerne piety the most vpright be it spoken without enuie of all the Churches of Europe at this day haue no greater blemish to staine her with then the drowning of the Canonicall Scripture which you impute vnto her Wee are and will bee euer readie although the meanest of many thousands that liue in her bosome to proue her Innocent Whereas if shee haue wilfully silenced Gods truth and vttered vnto the people vanity and Lyes in steade thereof wee will mourne for the sinnes of our mother with hearty sorrowe and not enter into the defence of so great a fault for God forbid that any partiall affection to her who whilest she is vpon earth may erre should make vs transgresse against our father in heauen who is trueth it selfe but if shee haue done nothing in this case which well befitted not the wisdome and care of a mother howsoeuer it please others to mistake her meaning then let her great wisdome bee iustified of her owne children to reade in the Church of God the Scriptures haue beene the honour of our Liturgy the happynes of our people and the true and readiest directions to a better life but either to reade them all or onely to reade them our forefathers in discretion did not think safe seeing the one might bee to small vse the other not without great profit and both most agreable to the wisdome and practise of former times for if a hundred threescore chapters of the Canon be omitted as you say for we can be content to take your account in this case and therein some whole bookes as the Chronicles Canticles most of the Apocalipse be left out wee nether doe in this without warrant what otherwise refuse nor refuse to doe with warrant that which reasonably was practised by those that liued before and yet are neither some things in all the bookes of Apocripha nor all things in some of them by authority permitted publicklye to bee read in our Church and those which are as often you haue been told are not for confirming of faith but to reform manners And so as Saint Austen speaketh from the customary phrase of the Church wee retayne them and read them as parts of the ould TestameÌ„t All which we confesse inpropryat you of speech onlye to bee written by Moses and by the prophets but from the time of Artaxerxes to the age wherin Iosephus wrot the want of prophets was supplied for the continuance of the Historie of those times by other men godly and zealous that were no Prophets which was the true cause that they were of lesse estimation then all the rest of the Scriptures are but if we show the reputation that the Apocripha had that as Saint Cyprian speaketh these anciently were accustomed to be read in the Church then neither doth this Church deuise any new custom nor by the admission of these can worthily be iudged to silence the holy Scripture Saint Austin writing against some Pelagian Libertines of his time alleadgeth a place out of the booke of Wisedom wherunto exception was taken that this booke was not Canonicall hereof thus Saint Hilary wrot vnto him Illud testimonium quod posuisti raptus est ne malitia mutaret intellectum eius tanquam non Canonicum definiunt omittendum Vpon this occasion amongst some other reasons to iustifie his allegation he sheweth fiâ—st that excepta huâ—us libri attestatione the thing that he proueth therby is otherwise manifest then he saith that many worthy men such as Saint Cyprian was etiam temporibus Apostolorum proximis alleadging nihil se adhibere nisi diuinum testimonium crediderunt and againe non debuit repudiari sententia libri Saptentiae qui meruit in Ecclesia Christi tam longa amositate recitari ab omnibus Christianis ab Episcopis vsque ad extremos laicos fideles poenitentes Catechumenos cum veneratione diuinae authoritatis audiri So that if in Saint Austins time who liued not much aboue foure hundred yeares after Christ some of these which we call Apocripha were of long continuance read in the Church and of all euen from the Bishops to the meanest layitie heard with the attention and reuerence of diuine Scripture how can we iustly be blamed to retaine them or be thought in this so ancient and so warrantable a custome wilfully to silence the Canon of holy Scripture Saint Hierom who of al other was most earnest to distinguish these books froÌ„ the Canonical yet sheweth that they were anciently read Sicut Iudith Tobiae Machabaeorum libros legit quidem Ecclesia sed eos inter Canonicas scripturas non recipit sic haec duo volumina intelligit Sapientiam Ecclesiasticam legit ad aedificationeÌ„ plebis non ad authoritatem Ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandam But if Saint Hierom who was most earnest against these bookes cannot moue you to approue as warrantable their reading in our Church the consent peraduenture and the practise of the Churches reformed may In the harmony of confessions set out at Geneua this article of the Belgick confession is there approued Differentiam porro constituimus inter libros istos sacros eos quos Apocriphos vocant vtpote quod Apocriphi legi quidem in Ecclesia possunt fas sit ex illis eatenus etiam sumore documenta quatenus cum libris Canonicis consonant At neutiquam ea est ipsorum authoritas firmitudo vt ex illorum testimonio aliquod dogma de fide religione Christiana certo constitui possit tantum abest vt aliorum authoritatem infringere vel munere valeant Hereunto agreeth the confession of this Church Zanchy giueth them the next place to the Canonicall Scripture and this as himselfe confesseth not without warrant both of the Greeke and the Latin Church hereunto wee
Faults Escaped In Epist. Didic Line the 1. for the Word Read the World Page 4 Line 11 for blouldnesses r. boldnesses p 5 l. 20. for Vsull r. Vsuall p. 6 l. 28. for to same â— to the sâ—me p 7. lâ— 2. for Athenian r. Athenians p 8. l. 8 for outward r. Outwardly l. 24. for Waâ—es r warres l. 37 for these word r. the sword p. 9. â— 9. for as r. is l. 22. for inhabit r. inable l. 3. for so r of l. 38. for nor least r nor of least p 13. l. 2. for putrified r. purified p. 15. l. vlt. for but time r. but in time p. 16 l â— for perhaps r. perhaps l. 9 for gâ—eauen r geauen l. 26. for Cod r. God p. 18. l. vlt. for to the rest r. to rest p. 20 l. 1. for Eternall r. Externall l. 30. for a little r. so litle p. â—1 l. 21. in maâ—g forâ— ennies r. Penries p. 26. l 12. for cerefulâ— r. carefull l. 14 for continue r. conuince p. 27. l. 5. for were r. we are l. 31 for with r which p. 50 l. 7. for only r. one l 24 for receiue r. reuiue l. 25. for dwiseome r. wisedome p. 51. l. 3 for centention r. contention p. 52. l. 6. for Propanenes r. Prophanenes l 9. for Redempâ—ion r. repetition p. 53. l. 11 for fruction r function l. 13. for their r her p 56. l. 18. for them r tâ—en p 59. l. 2. for her r. their p 61. l. 17. for continued r. contemned p. 62. l 27. for of r and p. 67 â— 27 for vs can r. vs l caÌ„ p. 82. l. 28. for Grayer r. Gray p. 83. l. 15. for they that r. that they p. 85 l. 37. for giuen r. giuing p. 124. l. 5. for mediation r. meditation p. 125. l. 11 for disâ—ict r. distinct p. 126 l. 19. for wâ—en r. when p. 127 l. 29. for exart r. exhort p. 129. l. 34 for were r. we are p. 134. l. 34. for both r loth p. 137. l. 34 reâ—e p. 143. l. 22. for person r. persons l. 26. for being r bring â—e other r either the other l. 33. for occasion r occasion p. 146. l. 34. for thought r. though p. l. 147. â— 9 for reuerent r. 〈◊〉 r either p. 162. l 2. for Pulralities r Plural p. 164. l. 26. for 〈◊〉 p. 165. l. 19. in marg for coÌ„mumis r. communis l 29. in 〈◊〉 p 185 l 13. for Codly r Godly l. 17 for disented r â—â—urches r. Churches p. 186. l. 27. for Vgre r. vrge p 187. l. 2â—â— Communis p. 190 l. 7. for Mamerces r. Mamercus p. 191. the fifth p. 192 l 33. in marg for Disperandi r. desiderandi â— r abused p 196 l. 1â— for patience r. patience l 15 for â— 197. l 14. for chieffly r chiefly A BRIEFE ANSVVER VNTO CERtaine Reasons by way of an Apologie deliuered to the Right Reuerend Father in God the L. Bishop of Lincolne by Mr. IOHN BVRGES wherin he laboureth to prooue that hauing heretofore subscribed foure times and now refusing as a thing vnlawfull that he hath notwithstanding done lawfully in both Written by VVilliam Couell Doctor in Diuinitie Aduersus Ecclesiam pugnatum est a filiis matris suae hostili animo damno vtili Bernard AT LONDON Printed by G. S. for Clement Knight and are to be sold at his shop in Paules Churchyard at the Signe of the Holy Lambe 1606. The Contents of this Booke Sect. 1 A Preface to the Kings Maiestie Pag. 1. The preface of the Apologie pag. 29 Of the intention of the Church of England in requiring subscription pap 43 2 Generall exceptions to the communion Booke in the intention pag. 52 3 Of the Lyturgie in generall pag. 66 4 Of omission of the Canon pag. 73 5 Supposed exceptions against some Apocrypha pag. 82 6 Against false Translations pag. 92 7 Exceptions about Baptisme pag. 96 8 Exceptions concerning Interrogatiues in Baptisme pag. 105 9 Of the Crosse in Baptisme pag. 108 10 Of kneeling at the Communion pag. 142 11 Of Buriall pag. 147 12 Of complaints and coniectures pag. 150 To the Right Reuerend Father in God WILLIAM by the Diuine prouidence L. Bishop of Lincolne THE singuler care Right Reuerend which your Lordship hath had in your owne Diocesse confirmeth the sentence of Saint Paul That it is a true saying if any man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth a worthie worke For the Church as Saint Bernard saith hath beene troubled with three conflictes from Tyrants Heretickes and Hipocrites The first was incountered by the patience of Martyrs which victoriously conquered the crueltie of those times The second with the vnanswerable learning of the ancient Fathers many of them beeing as they are called the hammers of Heretickes The last with the synceritie and diligence of Bishops for what other remedie remaineth for the hypocrisie of these daies if that may be tearmed hypocrisie which cannot lurke by reason of the aboundance nor desireth not by reason of his boldnes but the singuler integritie and courage executing the discipline of the Church in your Lordship others of your place to whom Saint Ierom although sower in many things wisheth vs to be subiect and giue reuerence as to the parents of our soules For in a true Bishop in deed his words are edifications his life righteousnes his presence delightfull and his memorie blessed Thus shall your Lordship bring to passe that those who are not may be made wise that those who are may not be deceiued that such as haue beene deceiued may be wise againe that vnbeleeuers may be conuerted vnto the faith that such as were conuerted may not be turned from it that those who are may returne vnto it that men peruerted may be directed aright that men subuerted may be called vnto the truth and that the subuerters themselues may be conuinced with strong reasons eyther to amend if it be possible or if not to loose their authoritie that they hurt not others Of these I may say as Saint Bernard doth but I will speake to their owne vnderstanding they are Canes ad scissionem vulpes ad fraudem and by your Lordships care and the rest of the Bishops aut corrigendi ne pereant aut ne perimant coercendi Now particulerly vnder your Honours fauour I will expresse in few words why the answere of this Apologie is directed vnto your Lordship as to one to whom in many respects I am especially bound First it was thought fit that seeing the reasons were giuen vnto your Lordship as an account of that obedience which a Minister vnder your owne charge did owe vnto you the answere how meane soeuer should be admitted to plead in the hearing of the same Iudge which being finished long since was by authoritie deferred in hope that silence and time would haue giuen satisfaction to all who were not fully resolued in this cause Heereunto I add my owne particuler Motiues I hope without offence
the demonstration of discipline and others to indeauour to proue the gouernment by Elders not to bee the inuention of wise men and not against the word of God but to be the expresse commaundement in euery particuler of GOD himselfe accounting those to haue no Church this being as essential as either the Word or Sacraments where this is wanting What meant the vehement commendations of this discipline in a booke called the Humble Motion that if this were established God would blesse our victuals and satisfie our poore with bread that he would cloath our Priests with health and his Saints should shout for ioy that it is best and surest for our state that it would cut off contentions and suites of Law that it would norish learning that then there would bee vnity in the Church that it would bee strength and victorie and many other benefits like these Why haue they striuen so earnestly for it if it were not absolutely commaunded in Gods word which seing you now denye giue me leaue to tell you we will henceforth be bolde with Saint Hierom seing it wanteth this warrant to reiect it with the same facility that it is alledged And wee hope seeing it is not commaunded in the Scripture that they will for euer now cease to poyson the Church with such opinions or to couer the policy of their first teachers with the vnhallowed contentions of all after-times But though you haue dealt so liberally with vs for the gouernment of Elders yet we dare not doe so with you in the gouernment of Bishops For if Clement saide true whome Polidore alledgeth to that end that Peter in euery Prouince appointed one Archbishoppe whome all other Bishops in the same Prouince should obey if the name of Archbishoppe and Bishoppe were not so vnusuall that Volusianus was not afraid to say that Dynosius Areopagita was by S. Paule made Archbishoppe of Athens or Erasmus to call Titus Archbishop of Creete or Eusebius to giue the authority to Iohn the EuaÌ„gelist who suruiuing the rest brought this benefit vnto the Church that for coÌ„secrating of Bishops other vses he was the Archbishop or Metropolitan to the whole Church for the Bishops as Epiphanius reasoneth begot fathers in the Church but the Presbiters only begot sons If this was the perpetual gouernment of the Church as that thrise learned most reuerend Bishop hath proued euen from the Apostles time we dare not say as you do that it hath but a tollerable alowance equall to Elders and that neither being repugnant the Church may lawfully imbrace either 2 Concerning the second point touching Ceremonies you name only the Crosse and the Surpâ—ice these you hold lawfull for so I thinke you meane when you say they be not vnlawfull being vsed as our Church doth but yet notwithstanding in some men places so inexpedient as that you thinke no mans Ministery likely to do so much good as some mens sodaine vse of them might doe hurt Consider I pray you the substance of these wordâ— the things are lawfull as our Church vseth them What then inexpedient that is in respect of some circumstances not conuenient to be vsed a discretion attending vpon things indifferent by the Apostles aduice all things are lawfull but all things are not expedient euen then restraining the vse when it is like that the vsage will doe much hurt This hurt you set downe to be that no mans Ministery is likely to do so much good as some mens sodaine vse of them might do hurt Is this your determinate iudgement of these things deliuered vnder your hand vnto the king It is like nay doubtles it is more then like for it is sure otherwise most lamentable were the coÌ„dicion of this land that the Ministery of some men shal be able to saue soules for that Gospel which we preach is the power of god vnto saluatioÌ„ now what hurt can you thinke of equall to this good peraduenture the destruction of soules and doe you thinke in earnest that this scandall will be the destruction of mens soules Well what are they are they elect then I am sure you will say they cannot fall for Christ saith No man shall take them out of his hands are they otherwise giuen ouer to a reprobate sence to such euen the Gospel it self is the sauor of death vnto death I confesse wee are to auoid scandall in what we may but better it is that that should arise then betray the truth and peraduenture by conformity and obedience your Ministery would receiue those blessings which now it wanteth But howsoeuer seeing the number can neither bee many the most part of our Land being better instructed vnder the long gouernment of the most vertuous Prince that euer England had before it had her nor the danger great being but the Scandall of such who are not willing to seeme weake and therfore I suppose wee neede not bee afraid to say contrarie to that which you affirme that many mens Ministerie is likely to doe more good then yours or any mans sodaine vse of the Ceremonies can doe hurt 3 The third thing whereunto you answered was Subscription and in this to some things without limitation as to the Kings Supremacie to others with and in both as the lawe requireth It hath beene the vsual euasion of a great number to pretend an obedience to the lawe in subscribing whilest notwithstanding they were not willing to subscribe as the Lawe required Surely there can be little hope of peace in the outward gouernmeÌ„t of that Church where the leaders of others are not willing or think it not lawfull to be obedient neither can there be any one act in the obseruation of all wise men more avayleable and in reason more likelye to procure this then Subscription which tyeth the tongue hands from any way resisting those lawfull ordinances that preserue peace all other creatures obserue that law which their maker appointed for them for he hath giuen them a law which shall not be broken This being the reproofe of man saith Saint Ambrose but most of all of vs of the Cleargie who being the children of the Church nay fathers in Christ to beget others are notwithstanding disobedient vnto those lawes which in great wisedome for her owne safety the Church hath made It is dangerous when we say Surely we will walke after our owne imaginations and doe euery man after the stubbernnes of his wicked heart But wee finde in you a better show of comformity then in many others who professing to subscribe to his Maiesties Supremacy without exception or qualification cannot in reason but yeild obedience vnto the lawes which are all of them authorized from his mouth for the censure of the communioÌ„ Booke notwithstanding you thinke something to bee faultie in it yet wee desire you to remember it considered in the intention of the Church of England and reduced to
the propositions which it publikely professeth it contayneth nothing contrarie to the word of God This then being your approbation vnder your hand doe you not think it lawful to alow by subscription what you think lawfull The truth of those things whereunto you haue beene required to subscribe hath forced a confession of their lawfulnesse euen from the mouthes of her greatest aduersaries and yet for all this because they would be to others examples of disobedience they haue refused to subscribe to thrust others of lesse learning greater moderation into the like contempt This being as one noteth the principal vnhappines of those men that they had the authoritie of the aged and the faults of youth Who being in this as they thought to publish their vertue were supposed not without cause to affect glory APOLOGY A Weeke after I was called before the Bishop of London the Deane of the Chappell being with him and after many sharpe rebukes for my Sermon preached before his Maiestie vrged to subscribe to the three articles we stood a time in clearing some exceptions then taken at last I prayed leaue to write downe the same limitation which I had written to his Maiestie and then read before them Which being denyed as idle and needlesse to be exprest because it was alwaies implied and vnderstood I taking them both and God to witnes that I did subscribe in the same sence and with the same limitations that I had expressed in that sent vnto his Maiesty did then subscribe This done I pretested vnto them that I had in the some manner and with the same protestation subscribed twise before yet wished that my present subscription might not be diuulged but as I my selfe should open it least I should be thoght to haue done that at this time out of feare for desire of inlargment which God knew I had done according to my iudgement so become lesse profitable in my calling lesse able to satisfie other men The bishop replied that the King must know it otherwise for his part it should be concealed which the Deane also promised as well as he I answered that I knew well his Maiestie must know it and cared not who knew it but in the former respect and that my selfe would make it knowne which thing I did the same houre and neuer yet denyed beseeching them to informe his Maiestie that I had done no more now then before least his Maiesty should thinke me caried by feare as a man of an euill conscience which they both promised to doe his Lordship and Master Deane then exhorted me to conformitie in practise I answered that for my iudgement of the ceremonies they knew it as did also many of the ministers amongest whom I had at sundry conferences discouered and maintayned my opinion of their lawfulnes but for practise I should yeilde to haue them vsed in my cure but in my owne person who had neuer vsed them and once lost my place for not vsing them I durst not promise it at least vntill I had done what I could to preuent offence Two daies after this I was called againe before the Bishop to be discharged of mine imprisonment by order from his Maiesties Counsell At what time the Bishop exhorted me to conforme my selfe and perswade other men for conformitie I besought his Lordship not to expect it at my hands nor to say I doubled with him if I performed it not so long as the feare of scandall should restraine me adding that his Lordship might gaine much honour to himselfe and peace to the Church by shewing compassion vpon the ministers in a few lighter things when their hearts were so inclinde to peace his Lordship replied that I should haue time to teach and satisfie my people I answered that I did not so much feare the offence of those with whom I now liue as of other places where I had liued And as touching the satisfying of other men I tolde him I might not vndertake to perswade but would be readie vpon any occasion to professe freely what I thought as I had done alreadie at sundrie conferences and that I had that day receiued some obiections of a friend in writing to which I had promised Answer His Lordship wished to see the arguments but I craued pardon bycause they were committed to me from a friend and vpon trust he then required to see mine answer before I should send it to my friend which I yeilded vnto and haue not yet broken for I neuer sent answer to it nor euer shall And this my Lord to my best remembrance is the whole summe of that which I haue done and the world speaketh of so much and diuersly out of all which this summe ariseth First that I haue foure times subscribed to the Booke of common prayer with limitation and reference of all things therein contayned vnto the purpose and doctrine of this Church of England and limitation I eyther wrote down or protested before witnesse Secondly that I neuer promised present conformitie in practise howsoeuer I confessed the ceremonies not simply vnlawfull as I did since also before your Lordship ANSVVER IT is the desire of all men who are willing to continue the reputation without wrong to be able to giue account of what they doe and to render a reason of what they speake The narration of your behauiour and trouble as also your opinion concerning conformitie with this Church as we haue receiued it vnder your owne hand so wee desire leaue without offence to obserue some few things materiall to this end and although your reducing the summe of the whole storie to those two heads first that you haue foure times subscribed to the booke of common praier with limitation and reference of all things therein contayned vnto the purpose and doctrine of this Church of England Secondly that you neuer promised conformitie in practise howsoeuer you confessed the ceremonies not simply vnlawfull be the principall things contayned in it yet because some other things are pertinent to this cause wee will rather examine then answer what you haue alleadged 1 You haue yeilded to subscribe with limitatiō which limitation is the purpose and intention of the Church of England a caueat doubtlesse not needful to be expressed seeing it is the same Church that requireth subscription who would not haue any within her own bosom require an allowance to the fancies opinions that others hould And peraduenture wise men will thinke that the distinctions found out are but euasions do what they would not seeme whilst in the meane time they might lurke vnder some equiuocall cloud as the Iesuits doe 2 Further you desire that your present subscription might not bee diuulged but as your selfe might open it a thing you see both yeilded vnto and performed by those in whose power it was but doubtfull what intention you had in concealing of it I can easily afford you so much charity as to thinke it was least some
sinister and false collections might be deriued from it whilest some others peraduenture more probably think that you meant to beare your brethren in hand that you yeilded not so farre as in truth ye did Consider if the concealement of this subscription haue not some proportion with the hypocricy of Saul but honour me I pray thee before the elders of my people and that which you feare would be taken to be an euil conscience could not but in the iudgement of so wise a Prince be thought an obedient and an humble mind 3 The third thing is that notwithstanding your allowance of these ceremonies yet you could not conforme your selfe but would willingly allow the practise of them by some other euen in your owne cure this in my apprehension doth seeme strange for seeing your flocke haue that good opinion of you as is fit for sheepe to haue of their pastor and that you feare not any scandal amongst them as your selfe afterward confessed your example might haue remooued both from them others neare vnto you all offence if there were any who peraduenture might haue stumbled at the same things being vsed by others and scandal being so dangerous is not fit to be offered by a Curate 4 Fourthly you intreat compassion towards the ministers in a few lighter things Let me tell you that mildnesse in some other cases may be a vertue but in this a vice and surely he fayleth in his episcopall courage who through remisnesse or pitie suffereth the lawes of the Church by being wilfully broken to be vnhallowed disturbers of the Churches peace and surely if the vrging of subscription which the law required haue beene the cause of the seuerall dissentions in our Church a worse effect could not haue proceeded from so good a cause then that that which was a vertuous inuention to make peace by the vnquiet disposition of some few should become the originall fountaine of so much warr Besides experience telleth vs that the mildnes which that Reuerend Archbishop Grindall vsed in those times little auailed with those men for to make them better and the last Archbishop of famous memory found it to be most true that such as were spared eyther from his owne compassion the importunity of others or a hope to win theÌ„ by this means the fauour shewed them in that kind they esteemed but desert his mildnes patieÌ„ce to be their own merit besides the things are not to be esteemed few or light which are manifold disobedieÌ„ces to those peaceable orders lawful coÌ„stitutions which the Church maketh 5 Fiftly you feare not so much the offence of those with whom you do now liue as of other places where you haue liued This can be no good pretence for disobedieÌ„ce in this case seeing they by your example were most fit to be resolued of the true lawfulnesse of those things of whose suspected vnlawfulnes they first grew iealous by your doctrine who since I hope haue been better taught APOLOGY NOw because it may seeme a part of dishonesty or leuity now to refuse the conditions so often accepted I beseech your Lordship to wey this mine answer that for so much as the purpose if not doctrine of our Church to which I referred my subscription appeareth vnto me by the late Canons Booke of conference and some speeches of your Lordship and some others to be varied somewhat from that which I before not without reason tooke it to be I hold my selfe to be where I waâ— but the state of subscription to be changed from it selfe partly in the end of requiring subscriptioÌ„ partly in the things subscribed vnto I euer-â—ook our subscription to import an admission of things so farre tollerable taken in the Churches intention that men not otherwise preiudiced might lawfully vse them being imposed this conceit the words of the subscription in which we acknowledge the booke such as may lawfully be vsed did breed in me and the Ordinary speeches of your Lordship and other Bishops strengthen as that the ceremonies were trifles rags beggerly rudiments that in the booke were multae tollerabiles ineptiae which if it pleased the King to remoue they would be glad which all are pleas rather for tolleration then approbation of them Neither did I mistake if mistake that point alone for there be many some of geeat place that vrging subscription and conformity neuer sticke to say that authority ought to remoue some things and sinneth in not doing it thereby shewing that they thinke not Subscription to approue the voluntary imposition but the compelled obseruation of some things in the booke But now I perceiue by the close of the third Article of Subscription wherin ex animo we must professe to subscribe to all things contained in any of the three articles and by the sixt Canon where the approbation of the rites and ceremonies is prouided for as well as the vse and by the whole tenour of the Canons which apparently condemne and preiudge all clayme made or to be made for any alteration now my Lord if this be the intention of our Church in requiring Subscription I cannot yeild thereto some things a man must aequitate improbare as Austin speaketh and many things may be well obserued that are not so well commanded saith Beza be it that a man might doe well rather to vse the ceremonies then loose his calling shall I acknowledge your Lordship to doe well in the ordaining of them hath God in vaine commaunded dissimilitude with idolaters were the fathers vnwise that called so instantly from conformity with the heathen or the sects of Iewes or heretikes in matters indifferent such a garland or habit or keeping of Easter day or thrise dipping c. ANSVVER THere is little hope of sufficient strength in the sequell of this Apology whose foundation is laide vpon so false a ground nature hauing taught all men this truth that where the beginnings of things faile the deductions which are as it were an issue proceeding from the same originall must needes bee worse both because all vertue which is coÌ„municated except imediately from the author of all vertue must by participation bee weakned and all admission of concurrence in other causes cannot but make something which is weake cleaue vnto that vertue besides nothing is so easie if there were either as much honesty or safety in it as for men euill disposed to wrong those that are innocent whome if wee cleare from all fault as they deserue we shall either bee thought to flatter or else burden their modestie with their deserued praises A change in you not in opinion but in obedience can no way be iustified but by an accusation of our whole state as if that now vpon the sodaine wee varied and declyned not from the doctrine but from the intention and purpose that the Church had Wee accept very willingly that which you haue graunted which no aduersaries to this Church shal
be euer able to disproue that as the foundation of our doctrine is the vnchangeable word of truth so it is hath beene like the author thereof God himselfe euer constant and the same neither can the vsuall imputations of difference laid by our aduersaries bee any blemish to vs seeing those things wherein wee dissent are rather the opinions of some few then the setled consent of the whole Church It seemeth you haue hitherto mistaken what subscription was supposing it to import an Admonition of things so farre tollerable that men not otherwise priudiced might lawfully vse them beeing imposed Where priuate fancies adueÌ„ture to interpret the limitations of their own obedience the wisdome of those that make lawes shall haue little vse men disposed not to obey wil find colorable excuses vnder pretence of being preiudiced for that which they do refuse could any man think Subscription to be a Tolleration onely of things not to be approued and not rather an allowance of things to be tollerated the intention doubtles of the Church in this was not to require a tolleration or approbation froÌ„ you or any inferior of such things as were thought fit for the Church to commaÌ„d but to tye the tongues and the hands of all men from disturbing the Churches quiet froÌ„ any way resisting those lawful ordinations that preserue peace It cannot bee the duety of inferiours to examine with what reason lawes are made seing other places times wherein they are interessed are appointed to that end but only by obedience to giue an allowance by subscribing an approbation to what the lawes command which either by way of tolleration to indure without approbation or in show to approue without an harty allowance were subtilly by conformity to procure their owne peace and dangerously when occasion should serue to disturbe the Church Would any man do that vnder his hand which he is loath to be commanded to doe ex animo surely it cannot be seuerity in that lawe which requireth the heart to consent to what the hand doth seing reason telleth vs that in reasonable actions the hands and the tongue should expresse the heart whosoeuer desireth to seuere these either intendeth to dally with God or to delude man But many things say you are in the Communion booke which may be tollerated but not approued for therin are multae tollerabiles ineptiae Indeed it pleased M. Caluin writing his censure of that booke from Geneua to Knox and Whittingam at Frankford to say as you doe that in it were many tollerable follies But we see not how either if they be follies they can be tollerable in a Church Lyturgy or how any dispraises of ours haue inuented a Lyturgy of their owne more absolute and perfect then ours is but least the commendation of this should be thought but the opinion of such as were willing to flatter the state at that time the graue approbation of that holy Martyr Doctor Taylor is fit to be alledged in this place a censure giuen in EnglaÌ„d within two daies of that which before M. Caluin gaue There was saith he set forth by the most innocent king Edward for whom God be praised euerlastingly the whole Church seruiâ—e with great deliberation the aduice of the best learned meÌ„ of the realm authorised by the whole Parliament receiued published gladly by the whole Realme which book was neuer reformed but once note that seldom alteratioÌ„s are their vertues that were before vs yet by that one reformation it was so fully perfected according to the rules of our Christian religion in euery behalf that no Christian coÌ„scieÌ„ce I pray you mark it can be offeÌ„ded with any thing therin contained I mean of the book reformed And shal we now froÌ„ the coÌ„ceipt of soâ—e few make light accouÌ„t of so honorable a testimony not rather say of this booke as S. Austin doth in another case If thou runnest through all the wordes of the holy prayers I suppose thou shalt finde nothing which the Lords Prayer doth not containe and comprehend therefore wee may in other words speake the same things in our Prayers but wee may not speake contrary thinges Those of great place who thinke some things fit to be remoued may peraduenture be wronged by you for if their wisdome bee answerable to their places they knowe and must confesse both alterations with cause to bee dangerous and without cause such as this were to be needlesse No man would blame you to obserue the moderation which you mention out of Saint Austin for quisquis vel quod potest arguendo corrigit vel quod corrigere non potest saluo pacis vinculo excludit vel quod saluo pacis vinculo excludere non potest aequitate improbat firmitate supportat hic pacificus est In all which if most of the refusers to subscribe haue failed wee must needes say with the Prophet DAVID The way of peace haue they not knowne And because they beleeue when impudently they say wee are holy they dare say wee alone are holy but if these things may bee well obserued the faults in commaunding doubtlesse wil not bee required at your hands and surely the wisdome in our Gouernours was great who sawe that in alterations of custome that which may helpe peraduenture with the profit of it doubtlesse with the nouelty of change will doe more hurt and yet in reason you cannot but acknowledge that their LL. haue done wel in coÌ„manding these Ceremonies beeing both ancient and seruing for order and to edefication vnlesse you can shew that they are vnlawfull But say you hath God in vaine commaunded dissisimilitude with Idolators Were the Fathers vnwise that called so instantly from conformity with the heathen or the sects of Iewes or hereticks in matters indifferent such as a garland or habit or keeping of Easter daye or thryse dippings c. In the weaknes of my vnderstanding these can be no warrents for your manifest dissenting from the orders of this church are the rulers Idolatours are the things commaunded idolatrye you yourself haue cleared theÌ„ from that fault Tertullian a great light surely of the Church if he had not beene a falling starre reporteth of one at whome peraduenture you aime in mentioning the garland who chose rather to dye then with the rest of the souldiers to be crowned with lawrel only in this respect that the Christians had a ceremony not to doe it For to cast away in time of persecution the badge and signes of their warfare was to discouer vnto the world that they were cowardly soldiers and vndoubtedly in the Church there would haue beene no difference about thrise dipping if the Arrians had not abused it to establish their heresie of the three natures of the three persons which made Gregory to coÌ„maund that through all Spaine there should bee but once dipping and this after was confirmed by the Counsell of
so great betwixt them and vs as that nothing were now lawfull for vs that were vsed by them were peraduenture to traduce to our posteritie without cause as the corrupters of all religion in all parts and to denie vnto our selues the iust furtherances of pietie and holines onely because Idolatrie and superstition had corrupted those meanes amongst them but if neither they esteeme so of the Crosse that the transiant signe as you call it is to be worshipped with deuine worship nor that we haue proportioned our selues in the same ceremonie to the supposed or manifest Idolatrie amongest them The iniury must needes bee accounted greate vpon an opinion of zeale to wound euen through the sides of her enemie the vitall partes of that Church that doth giue vs life Peter Martyr from whence it seemeth you haue taken this accusation saith that the Church of Rome teach That the signe of the Crosse is to be worshipped with Latreia Which surely by him was vnderstood not of the signe transiant but of that verie crosse whereon Christ suffered which they make a relicke we will not stand to examine their errour in this point onely let me put you in mind what Bellarmin saith That it is not to be taught that any Images are to be worshipped Latreia And to this end he alleadgeth the authoritie of diuers councels What then must wee say to your reason which is grounded vpon that which they say not but we will suppose seeing Peter Martyr doth ioyne with you that it was their opinion although they haue reclaimed it at this day must it therefore needs follow that eyther it is so vsed by vs or by vs not lawfull to be vsed at all hath there beene any greater idolatrie in the Church of Rome then that which they exhibiting to the bread in the Supper vpon an opinion of Transsubstantiation haue therewith vnhallowed and prophaned the blessed Sacrament and yet may not wee nay ought wee not lawfully to retaine it as a thing holy Nay Peter Martyr himselfe confesseth whom sundry times you alleadge as your patron in this cause That the signe of the Crosse is worne by Princes vpon their crownes without superstition because by that signe they onely testifie and professe that they honour and maintaine the religion of Christ. But peraduenture you will say wee ought not to make it a significatiue ceremonie to expresse that warfare which wee vndertake when we are baptized heare what he saith If it bee lawfull for a man to beare in his armes the badge of his owne famimily It is also lawful for him by the signe of the crosse to professe Christian Religion there is some difference from them whilst we vse it in Baptisme which you giue vs occasion fitly to handle in another place onely let me tell you that if the Papists worship the Crosse more than they ought must the Church of England neglect the vse thereof more then the ancient Churcher haue done or then any moderate and wise Christians would do who glory in nothing so much as the crosse of Christ which was not vnderstood of afflictions although wee may glory in them but euen of the sufferings of Christ vpon that crosse whereon he died Neither hath the crosse as it is vsed in our Church any proportion eyther with the brasen Serpent when it was broken or the groues forbidden seeing the one continued vntill it was strangely prophaned by insence from their handes who were not allowed at any time to offer any and the groues not simply forbidden but when they were neare the altar In this respect vertuously restraint hath beene made of the ouer frequent vse of that signe tending to Idolatry to auoid superstition and yet a discreete admission of some vse thereof to eschew prophannesse Neyther can we commend your vnwillingnesse to approue the Reuerend Fathers of the Church for the continuance of these things seeing they had power to helpe them we will not examin their power wee wish it were farre greater we know their discretion and wisedome hath and shall infinitly beenefit the Church by the late Canons and for those who peraduenture allow the things as you speake but approoue not the commaunding of them we must say as Saint Austin doth he is not a friend to the truth who had rather if it were possible that that which is truth were not commaunded Neyther is the warre about these things so needlesse as you thinke seeing it is like that if euer there were out of milde patience strongly and vehemently euen with much hypocrisie importuned any truce the Church hath receiued more hurt by that then by all the seueritie which requiring obedience doth bring peace APOLOGY SO againe my Lord admit that we may lawfully read that Apocripha which is not corrupt being so commanded can I allow in your Lordship that care of keeping euen the parcels of those Chapters some parts whereof we reiect as drosse as if we must needs gather all the broken pieces of brasse into the treasurie of the Church of God and leaue so many golden plates which beare for letters of credence the stampe of Gods Spirit sleeping in the decke as if they were neither currant coyne nor good mettall Yea my Lord who can with iudgement allow the ordayning of any Apocripha to be read in the congregation in such sort as it is appointed that is at the same times with the Scriptures vnder the name of Holy Scripture as partes of the old Testament and as parts of diuine seruice and without any manner of difference or distinction for when as the booke prescribing to say onely at the reading of the Lessons heere beginneth such a Chapter taken out of such a booke and the 14. Canon forbiddeth any addition to this order in matter or for me It is plaine that we are not allowed to discypher the difference betwixt the base mettals and the Lords owne stamped coyne Now my Reuerend Father howsoeuer some of these bookes haue many godly and deuine sayings yet seeing the sacred Scripture onely is principium 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Inspired of God and therefore of sole power to commaund the conscience and that Scripture is so large in volume that we cannot often read it all neuer do so rich im matter that we need not for a ground-worke any other who can commend that order which is taken of reading some Apocripha oftener then any of the Canonicall much of it twice and as much of the Canonicall not once and that vpon high daies the Sonne of Sarah must giue place to Agars Sonne The Canonicall to the Apocriphall Chapter whereas it sâ—emeth as fit to dismount the vsurper from that dignitie as it seemed to Ezra to abandon from the priesthood all such as could not draw their pedegree from Aaron And though in Ruffinus and Hieronus time when they went safely vnder the name and knowledge of Ecclesiasticall or Apocriphall bookes they were read
for information of manners yet seeing in those ancient times some of the fathers did inhibit the reading of them some say they were vsed by the Catechistes as wee permitted base coyne to the Irish some euen Councels forbad the reading of them and seeing by their first more innocent then prudent admission of them to be read in assemblies they wonne as appeareth in the third Councell of Carthage the stile first of Canonicall Scriptures and afterward the full dignity and haue since iustled with the Canon as Ismael did with Isack for precedeÌ„ce and hauing wonne it by this stratagem do maintaine their stile from the sâ—me reason of being read and that euen amongst vs me thinks there was neuer so great cause of aduancing them so neare the Chayr of estate as is now of teaching them to know their distances eyther by sylencing their voyces in the assemblies as most of the reformed Churches do or else by teaching them to speake in a different time as doe those Churches that read them while the coÌ„gregation is gathering not as parts to diuine seruice or at least that euery Minister were ioyned to giue them their note of difference that the people might know and discerne the voice of God from the voice of good men And if Hierom translating some of them did giue them a brand of difference why should not we in the reading Or if the elder brother suffer not the yonger to giue the armes of his house without a Crescent to distinguish them how will God that is so Iealous of his Honour put it vp that wee put no sensible difference betwixt the children of his spirit and the baser sonnes of men though good men In which cause my Lord I am the more earnest because I finde at the Conference Hierom taxed for calling them Apocripha and there though not truely for Cyril did it before him saide to bee the first that so termed them and his exceptions called the old euils of the Iewes and I find theÌ„ also tearmed Canonicall ad mores as if any writing but Gods could be properly Canonical which is co ipso canonica quo authentica as D. Whitaker well saith which make one feare that which I am loth to feare or speake must make me by so much the more afraid of allowing their admission by how much they incroch vpon the prerogatiues royoll of the Scriptures eyther in titles or in vsage ANSVVER THe custome of accusing the lawfull ordinances of this Church hath imboldened some men aboue both dutie and reason to continue still vehement in their first opposition which peraduenture at the beginning was vndertaken without cause this land as it neyther doth nor I hope euer shall professe any other doctrine but that which is sincere and true Our home aduersaries confessing that for the substance of Religion it maintayneth the true and the holy faith so for our publike Lyturgye which now is misliked by you wee will first take the censure of one as strickt as any that liued eyther since or before him and after if wee be further vrged enter into the particular defence of all that iustly can bee misliked in our Church not that wee are willing to giue any strength to this last errour or to flatter for aduancement the eye or the hand of this time an infirmitie which we hope shall not cleaue vnto vs but because wee are perswaded in conscience that the holy Spirit hath directed the consultations of the fathers of our Church euen then when first they banished superstition to frame by the assistance of a Diuine power a publike seruice of God in this land purer for the matter more effectuall for vse more chast for ceremonie more powerfull to procure deuotion then any Lyturgye publicklye established since the defection from the primitiue Church Of which as I promised I must tell you what Maister Deering said Looke if any line be blameable in our seruice take holde of your aduantage I thinke Maister Iewell will accept it for an article our seruice is good and godly euerie title grounded vpon holy Scriptures and with what face doe you call it darknesse But men are ashamed to seeme guiltie who alwaies haue beene Iudges or at least accusers That then which you mislike in this place for the rest wee shall indeuour to defend when wee come vnto them is the reseruation euen of the parcels of those Chapters some parts whereof we reiect as drosse that is to summe vp your whole accusation in few words that no Apocripha is publikely to be read in diuine seruice The Church of Christ according to her authoritie receiued from him hath warrant to approoue the Scriptures to acknowledge to receiue to publish and to commaund vnto her children so then that the Scriptures are true to vs wee haue it from the Church but that we beleeue them as true in themselues we haue it from the holy Ghost By this power the Church hath severed those parcels of Scripture by the name of Apocripha from those which vndoubtedly were penned from Gods Spirit In this diuision neyther hath the light nor the approbation beene all one seeing euen some partes penned by the holy Ghost and so now generally approued both by the Church of Rome and vs haue had some difficulty not without great examination to be admitted into the Catalogue of Gods Canon As the Epistle to the Hebrewes of S. Iames the second of Peter the second and third of Iohn the Epistle of Iude and the Reuelation And howsoeuer those that were neuer doubted of may seeme to haue in some sort greater authoritie then those that were yet wee giue them saith M. Zanchy equall credit with the rest and to the Apocripha the next place of all other to the holy Scripture The Canonical only wee allow for probation of the doctrine of Faith but the other being proued for the confirmation therof Nay the Church of Rome confesseth howsoeuer they and wee differ which are Canonicall that the Apocripha in the Canon are to haue no place Saint Austin calleth by a larger acceptation of the word Canonicall euen those which though they had not perfect and certaine authority yet accustomably were read in the Church to edefie the people a custome as it seemeth neither now nor differing from the practise of our Church Athanasius allowed them to some men The third CouÌ„sel of Carthage not at al. Cyrill Bishoppe of Ierusalem reiectes them from beeing read in the Church of whome Doctor Whitakers whome you alledge giueth this censure in this Cyrill peradueÌ„ture was ouer vehement which forbad these bookes to be read at all For other Fathers although they accounted them Apocripha yet they permitted them to be read And Saint Hierome speaketh of the booke of wisdome and of Ecclesiasticus out of which two is more read in our seruice then out of al the Apocripha besides that they may be reade to the edification
maximè potuimus ad Ecclesiam Apostolorum veterum Catholicorum Episcoporum patrum quam scimus adhuc suisse integram atque vt Tertullianus ait incorruptam viâ—ginem nulla dum idolclatria nec errore graui ac publico contaminatam nec tantùm doctrinam nostram sed etiam sacramenta praecumque publicarum formam ad illorum ritus instituta direximus In al which doubtlesse there is nothing wanting which is requisite in a religious reformed Church sauing the charitable construction of our brethren who will needs eyther out of singularitie or feare bee our aduersaries in this cause And when nothing can bee said against the forme of that Lyturgy which wee vse they blame the orders of our Church which inioyne the whole Lyturgy to be read at the vsuall houres And vnder pretence of long prayers to banish preaching out of the Church I meruaile that any man will obiect it now seing it was an vntrue imputation long since by Master Cartwright layd vpon this church but as one telleth him neither aduisedly nor truly spoken wee will not compare two things of that nearenes and vse together but if some mens discretion could haue tempered their Zeale so farr that their owne paynes which they call Sermons might haue beene shorter and the orderly prayers of the church wholly read I doubt not but the religion of the people would haue beene much greater the worship of God more sound and the vnseasonable contentions of the Church farr lesse and if they continew but as some before them haue done to allow an houre half according to the pattern of reformed Churches for the whole Lyturgy or seruice wee are perswaded it will both bee time sufficient for performing the intention of the Canon which forbiddeth all diminshing in regard of preaching yet no man shal haue iust cause if he be willing to preach to complaine that hee wants time or that the length of prayers hath deuoured the Church for by this means hauing time which the wisdom of authority thinketh sufficient for both all extemporall inuention of vnsounde prayer shall bee vtterly banished out of christes Church and in Preaching the shortnesse of time shall necessarily cut off all impertinent discourses whilest they are sorced to comprize abundance of matter in few words But if any man thinke the Communion booke at first to be ordayned in part to supply the want of a Learned ministry which being obtayned may beomitted either in part or in whole as men please It is an error greatly mistaking the first vse and ouermuch differing from the modesty and humility of auncient tymes Wherein the Apostles came into the Sinagogue of the Iewes at Antioch and sat downe and after the Lecture of the law the prophetts which I take was their ordinary seruice the rulers of the Sinagogues sent vnto them saying ye men and brethren if ye haue any word of exhortation for the people say on read the ordinary marginall note vpon this place and it will seeme that the Sermon expected the finishing of ordinary diuine seruice as neither all waies necessarily following when this was nor at any time presuming to be vpon the Sabbath when this was not nor if the vnhallowed boldnesse of some in our time hath aduentured to thrust the graue religious discreete deliberate and iudicious prayers established by authoritie out of our Churches and forced them against all reason to giue place to an vnlearned vnorderly and bould exhortation without wisedome or sobrietie onely somewhat glorying in the show of a hote zeale was it not a petition necessary and seasonable humbly at the conference to intreat of his Maiestie for a praying ministery From the contempt whereof haue directly proceeded the prophannesse the Atheisme and all the want of Religion in this land yet let no man thinke that eyther the Canons or any of the Reuerend Fathers desire that preaching may be lesse but rather that with all modesty God being honoured in our praiers as we ought wee maye the better be able to profit by those lessons that sermons doe giue vnto vs. And therefore it is ouer greate boldnes of our aduersaryes in this to accuse any man in authoritye in the church as an aduersarie to preaching seing the whole scope of sundry of these late Canons prouideth better for more and more learned Sermons then any lawes heretofore concluded in this Kingdome so that wee banish not preaching for prayers as you would make the world beleeue but saye as our Sauiour doth in another case this ought ye to haue done but not to haue left the other vndone For doubtles the children of God fynd continually an excellent vse of both by prayer saith Isiodore wee are clensed by reading and hearing wee are instructed If both may be had they are both good If both cannot be had it is better to pray So then to say lesse then their vncharitable accusation deserueth in this cause wee affirme that they surmise vs to seeke to haue preaching neglected but wee know too wel that praiers are contemned by their meanes from which at the last without great care the neglecting of preaching must needs follow and therefore the restraynt of the one with discretion to giue way to the other is neither to delay or delude the Kings purpose against an vnlearned and scandalous ministery or like the shadowe of the moone at the battell of Cremona or an abuse to his Maiestie a sinn to bishops aplague to the Church or to the offenders Intollerable Insolencye in stead of deserued shame but rather to speake truly and as this wisdome deserueth in the vpright sinceritye of a good conscience an execution of the Kings vertuous and religious care an honour to his Princelye Maiestye a holye discretion in the reuerend Bishops a happines to the Church a brydle strayt enough to such as deserue shame for now all may learne to be longer in prayers and shortter in Sermons because speeches ouer much inlarged want vnderstanding saith Saint Austen And you may be aduised heareafter to blame your selfe and to pardon others APOLOGY ANd thus from the generall I descend to some particular exceptions as first those about the Scriptures to be read which are three 1. The omission of the Canon 2. The appointing of some corrupt Apocripha 3. The translations It is manifest that 160. Chapters of the Canon and therein some whole bookes as the Chronicles Canticles and most of the Apocalipse are omitted in the Rubrick as least to edifying This I excused in my owne heart thus that because most of these chapters omitted were either obscure or obnoxius to euill hearts if read without interpretation the Church in good discretion making a choyce of Scriptures which the learned allow did omit them in the direction of the Kalender but made no doubt but any able Minister might read them ouer and aboue the appointed Lessons with some exposition of
are glad to see them now so earnest intreaters for reading the Scriptures in the Church seeing heretofore the most of them haue beene content for a Sermon of small edification but of great length to omit the reading of many Chapters which might haue beene done at that time so that in true vnderstanding the silencing of the Scripture was rather to be feared at their hands who desired to haue it indifferent and left free for to read it at all APOLOGY AS for the corrupt Apocripha appointed in the Calender it made to me no scruple of subscribing to the Booke with reference to the Churches intention and doctrine for besides that our doctrine was and is pure touching the dignities of the Canon the reformers of the booke professing to haue ordered that nothing should be read but eyther the pure word or that which is euidently grounded vpon the same gaue me reason to thinke that howsoeuer some vnmeet Chapters kept their old standing in the Calender yet our Churchment not to vrge the reading of them in which I was the more confirmed by that prouision which vnder the Queenes authority was published with the Homelies that the minister might exchaÌ„ge any one or other lesse profitable Chap. of the old TestameÌ„t for any of the new testament more profitable if as Doctor Abbots saith of the CanoÌ„ much more of the Apocripha But now I perceiue by the Rubrick that the tale of Susanna must be read to the last verse which helps to manifest the falshood of the whole fable as Ierom calles it and I see by the order of the Canons our former liberty of exchange all â—iberty of ceÌ„sure to be repealed Now how can I suâ—scribe to the reading of an vncertain tale in stead of the more sure word of the Prophets which Peter biddeth vs attend and not to Iewish fables such as is that of Iudith for which no time can be found out to father it vpon And that of Tobit both which Luther as I haue heard thought to be plaâ—es at the first and after made stâ—râ—es How can 〈◊〉 for instruction of Gods people read these fictions better then the popish Legends or so well as Holinsheds or Eusebius Chronicles for what ground is there for conscience to build vpon when nothing can be certainly obserued for doctrine where nothing is certainely knowne for truth Finally in the 13 of Daniell as it is vnfitly called is a repugnancy to the true story of Daniels age and beginnings of honour In the ninth of Iudith a commendation of Simeon and Leuies bloody act as ordered and blessed of God vndertaken with praier yea euen of that most outragious cruelty in which for the offeÌ„ce of one they executed many innoceÌ„t harmeles persons And this womaÌ„ blessed that zeale which Iacob cursed and God plagued as a rage And this exception our men tooke against Campian in the Tower So in the 7. of Tobit 3. the Angell maketh himselfe of the tribe of Nepthaly in the 12. one of the seuen Angels that offer vp the prayers of the Saints to God in both a lyar And in the latter a lying vsurper vpon that office which none but the Angell of the couenant may meddle with Now knowing that God hath no need of lyes I dare not read as a part of diuine seruice these tales in his presence and the presence of his Angels and people much lesse allow the appointing of them to be read especially obseruing how idlely wee shall tell the common people of their basenesse while yet we read them out of the Bible ANSVVER WE are glad to heare you confesse that the intention of our Church was and is pure and I hope euer shall be touching the dignitie of the Canon which in my opinion ought to haue been a strong motiue both to you and others neyther to haue dissented from the practise of the Church in reading things ancient profitable and such as were called by the fathers Scripture though not Canonicall nor to haue quarrelled with these bookes as if all that were in them were thought by vs to be of an infallible vndoubted truth we say theÌ„ first coÌ„cerning all these bookes that neither doe wee nor any in our Church retaine them as Canonical truthes for doctrine nor of equall authoritie with the other Scriptures yet peraduenture we may giue some reasons why these things misliked by you are not of that moment that thereby they ought to be accouÌ„ted of no better authority theÌ„ Hollinsheads or Eusebius Cronicles We confes that we read by apointmeÌ„t the Historie of Susanna to the last verse but the last verse which is the greatest exceptioÌ„ to the History we read not and the Church of Rome confesseth that it ought to belong to the beginning of the foureteenth Chapter It is knowne that Africanus wrot to Saint Origen coÌ„cerning the truth of this book but what hee wrote wee haue yet no warrant neither can Origen or S. Hierom be iustly proued to bee aduersaries to our opinion in this case for hee that is most earnest against them which was Saint Hierom affirmeth as Doctor Whitakers collecteth that this storie of Susanna of Bell and the Dragon the Hymne of the three children was commonly read in the Church of God which is al for which we desire your allowaÌ„ce as a thing not new or lately inuented but auncient warraÌ„table so practised by our Church I could willingly enter into a defence of the trueth of this History if our aduersaries of the Church of Rome were not ouer-apt to make this conclusion which is not sound that whatsoeuer was aunciently read in the Church and is true ought to bee esteemed as the Canonicall Scripture so that they froÌ„ truth coÌ„cluding scripture we are forced against them to accuse them of some faults Whereas if confessing them to bee no canonicall Scriptures they or others would haue giuen vs leaue to read theÌ„ in the Church as profitable to manners wee could without violence haue afforded them the reconcilement of other Scriptures and vndoubtedly haue proued them to be most true But howsoeuer the Church of England requireth not the Subscription of you or of any other to warraÌ„t the falshood and vntruth of any Iewish fable but to approoue the forme of our Liturgy so farre that those books which anciently were read in the Church or at least those parts which containe nothing contrary to faith may still retaine their auncient place in the Church for edifying of manners which was giuen them in the first and the purest times In which doubtlesse the liberty of exchange formerly left to the discretion of the minister might haue continued stil if men would haue tempered themselues from indiscret causelesse neglect of publicke order for as Saint Austin well noteth That surely he hateth his country who thinketh himself neuer well except he trauell So little obedience or loue appeareth in those men
who account it their greatest perfection to oppugne the Church Now if Luther thought Iudith and Tobith to be playes at first and after made Stories we must tell you that wee are glad to heare you ascribe so much to the thought of Luther but sory to see you ascribe so little to the iudgement of our whole Church and yet it is no reason to esteeme them of lesse valew except wee wil follow the steps of the Anabaptists and reiect likewise the booke of Iob seeing the Rabbins in their TaluÌ„d haue taught them to account it as a Tragicall Comedy and no true storie Concerning the exception of Daniels age answer first Bellermin and others who hold that there were two Daniels and then you may thinke your obiections stronger then as yet they are It little concerneth vs to proue the Apocripha to bee true who euer haue confessed that they are not Canonicall scripture and therfore may be false but howsoeuer they are I must tell you in humility loue it was a bold an vnreuereÌ„d coÌ„parison to make theÌ„ no better then Holinsheads or Eusebius Chronicles seeing their greatest enemies haue willingly coÌ„fessed thus much that of all writings that are they haue ought to haue the next place of estimatioÌ„ to the Diuine Scriptures not only these but all the rest tearmed by S. Cyprian Eâ—clesiasticall by S. Hierom Apocriphal by S. Austin Canonical haue bin red in the Church with the other parts of the old Testament if not in the Apostls times yet euersince If Ruffinus be not deceiued they were approued as parts of the old TestameÌ„t by the Apostles for when S. Hierom writ so scornfully of the history of Susanna the song of the three children he chargeth him therin to haue robbed deposituÌ„ saÌ„cti Spiritus instrumeÌ„tuÌ„ diuinuÌ„ quod Apostoli Ecclesiijs tradideruÌ„t S. Hierom who is not vsually slow to defend himself leaueth that point vnanswered pretending that what he had spoken was not as his own opinioÌ„ but what the Iews obiected And for his pains in traÌ„slating the book of Iudith he giueth this reason Quia hunc libruÌ„ Synodus Nycenain numero saÌ„ctaruÌ„ scripturrauÌ„ legitur coÌ„putasse CheÌ„nisius a maÌ„ deseruing wel of the religioÌ„ professed by our church hauing proued against the counsel of Trent these books wherof we speak not to be canonical propoundeth vnto himself a question Num quid igitur simpliciter abiiciendi daÌ„nandi sunt libri isti and he answereth that we are not to cast them away wher we thinke they haue some thing in them which are not consonant to the Canonical scriptures but rather so to expound them as that they may agree with them therfore concerning the fact of Symeon Leui for which as it seemeth you are not willing to read the book of Iudith because she confesseth that GOD put a sworde into their handes to take vengeance of the straungers blessing the zeale which Iacob cursed and God plagued as a rage wee must answere as others haue done that the king of Ashur is called the staffe of the Lords wrath and his hand was the rod of the Lords indignation the Lord sent him to rob spoyle and tread downe his people like mire in the streetes God therefore put a sword in his hand and armed him and not him onely but as many also as were stirred vp against any country or Nation or peculiar persons good or badde when it pleased the Lord either to chastice his children for amendment and tryall or to punish the wicked to their destruction Now then the Sichamites without all controuersie had grieuously offended and a heauie iudgement of GOD for their offences falleth vpon them therefore may wee say that the Lord did arme those instruments by whome hee did execute his vengeance against them And Master Caluin confesseth that Vnius puellae stuprum horribili totius vrbis strage Deus vltus est And Musculus saith voluit Deus insignem hanc contumeliam tam graui insigni vindict a punire vt euidentissimo exemplo monstraret non fore impunes omnes eos qui contumeliam ignominiam Israeli inferrent modo corde erga se integro esse perseueraret therefore against reason and the iudgemeÌ„t of learned men in our church you seeme to deny that God did arme Simeon by whom he did execute his punishment Besides Iudith doth not commend that which Iocob condemneth or curseth for Iacob reproueth there the fact for that they did exceed in anger and cruelty but Iudith commendeth the zeale which they bare vnto the Lord and his lawe for the villany that the Sichamites had committed and yet as concerning the fact of Simeon and Leui such as were not ignoraÌ„t of that which Iacob doth vtter in both places are bold to affirme thus Non est nosirum de hoc facto filiorum Iacob ferre sententiam haud enim secundùm externam faciam considerandum est quem admodum in foro Iadiciifieri solet sed totum relinquendâ—m Iudicio Dei qui dubio procul hunc illius zelum ad sumendum de reprobis vltionem indidit Of like iudgement were some long since that liued in the church of whom Beda saith alij dicunt hanc vindictam quae facta est a Simeone Leui domino non displicere quod in hoc ostenditur quia liberati sunt de manu inimicorum suorum Siue quod Legem dei circumcisionem vindicauerunt eo quod vim fecit incircumcisus super illam quae de Circumcisione fuerat Lyra writing vpon the ninth of Iudith saith thus hoc videtur falsum nam Iacob reprehendit illud factum tanquam malum Gen. 34.49 Dicendum quod in facto illo duo fuerunt scilicet zelus vlciscendi sâ—uprum illud fuit licitum iustum quia non habebant Iudicem qui vellet factum punire cuius author erat â—rinceps ciuitatis populus eius fautor Et sic loquitur hic Iudith Aliud quod fuit ibi fuit modus vlcâ—scendi qui fuit malus proditorius in quantum filii Iacob fregeruÌ„t pactum habitum cum Sychamites sic reprehendit illud Iacob All which considered with that which many other Diuines haue written in this cause you cannot but confesse that Iacob and Iudith in diuerse respectes might censure the same fact in a diuers manner and yet both true The next thing which you mislike is that in Toby where the Angell maketh himselfe of the trybe of Nephthaly and in another place one of the seauen holy Angels that offer vp the prayers of the Saints to God which it pleaseth you to censure thus perhaps with greater zeale then either discretion or modesty in both a lyer in the latter a lying Vsurper vpon that office which none but the Angell of the Couenant may meddle with Iunius is the first to my knowledge that findeth an vntruth in the first place
but so hard a iudgement in wisdom might haue been well spared considering that he coÌ„fesseth the place to be corrupt which might haue moued him either to acknowledge that by reason therof he is ignorant of the true sence of the place or to allow of the interpretation of the learned before him that haue deliuered such sence as may be admitted without allowing any vntruth Lyra saith It is a figuratiue speach like that in Tob. 6. vers 12. Wher Azarias is interpreted adiutor Dei so are the Angels Ananias is interpreted gloria Dei whose sons are the Angels Now if it be an vsurping vntruth for the Angels to offer vp the prayers of the Church vnto God in the mediation of his Son we shal peraduenture depriue our selues of a great part of their ministery dissolâ—e that communion of Saints which we professe to beleeue as an Article of Gods truth We doubt not but Christ maketh intercession for vs and offereth our prayers in another manner more powerfull effectuall then Angels can Zanchie concludeth thus Si hos non licet inuocare qui nos audiunt nostraque spectant nos curant quomodo igitur demâ—rtuos homines And in the same booke he alledgeth this place not doubting that this was a true Angell to whom you giue the lye to proue that the Angels are both sent vnto vs yet haue their aboad especially in the preseÌ„ce of God himself so that these bookes being in some sort innocent haue tasted of much euil through the ignorance of such as haue bin their iudges But we cannot shew our charity better then hartily to be sory for those who wil needs erre To conclude then this point I must intreat you in the spirit of meeknesse to take a second view of this your vnreuerend vncharitable ceÌ„sure both of his Angels in heauen his Church on earth for if the Angel had made the same answere which you alledge that he was one of the seuen Angels that offer vp the prayers of the saints to God he had not bin a lying Vsurper as it pleaseth you to tearme him for saith P. Martir If thou read in the scriptures note that he calleth them Scriptures and in the margent quoteth this place that the Angels offer vp our prayers this is not done of them to instruct or teach God but by discouering laying them open we our selues be the more earnestly bent to craue the helpe of God And what discommodity should arise if we affirm this selfe same thing of Angels Thus far P. Martir which was taken of S. Austin so that you see there was smal reason to account those blesâ—ed spirit the Angels Lying vsurpers hauing spoken no otherwiâ—e then truth may warrant or else to what end were that speech of our sauiour Se that ye dispise not one of these little ones for I say vnto you that in heauen there Angels alwaies behold the face of my fathâ—r which is in heauen But you cannot with a safe conscience subscribe to a translation that vttereth so vsurping an vntruth I doubt not but you haue wel considered that it is as you say or else as in the doctrine you haue wronged the Angells so for the translation you will be found for to wrong the Church You caÌ„not be Ignorant that the approued translation authorised by the church of England is that which cometh nearest to the vulgar and is commonly called the Bishops Bible wherein according to the Latine the words are onely read thus I am Raphaell one of the seauen Angels which stand in the presence of GOD. I confesse the Geneua translation readeth it as you reproue but it was a traÌ„slation neuer for the notes or the text publickly authorised in our Church so that modesty and due consideration ought to haue examined accusations of this Nature with greater care least others rightly iudge that the assertions of such cannot be sound that wrongfully without conscience dare aduenture to accuse both the church on earth and the Angels in heauen APOLOGY TOuching the corrupt traÌ„slations of the Psalmes Epistles or Gospels in the booke they made before no barre to my Subscription because I supposed that our Subscription exteÌ„ded but to the forme of Diuine seruice In which such portions of scripture were appointed to bee reade ledd thereto partly by the words of Subscription wherein wee acknowledge in the booke such a forme as may lawfully be vsed and promise to vse the same partly by the Doctrin of our Church which iustly taxing the Papists for adhering to the vulgar Latine and maintaining that all translations ought to bee corrected by the Originall made it to me vnprobable that our Church would impose an allowance of any corrupt translations and chiefly by the practise of our Church in authorising another translation of the Church Bible by which I made no doubt but any man might correct the translations in the Communion booke where they obscured or crossed the sense But you my Lord gaue me in this point another light telling mee that we must vse only and subscribe to the traÌ„slations in the booke which I also vnderstood to be auouched by some other of your brethren and lately found out to be intended in the Canon for subscription wherin it is said that the booke of Common Prayer containeth nothing in it contrary to the worde of GOD and may lawfully So be vsed so a word now put in as containing in it nothing contrarie to the word and after that I do ex animo subscribe to all things contained in the three articles Now my Lord if Austin vpon the credit of many Latin copies would not admit one word palam where the sense rather required then receiued it because it was not in the Greeke how shall I approue vnder my hand a translation which hath many omissions many additions which sometime obscureth sometime peruerteth the sense being sometime senselesse sometimes contrarie of which I pray your Lordship to take a tast in the last page of this booke where I will muster them together ANSWER IF you had continued in your former resolution not to haue feared to subscribe although some faultes were iustly to be found in the translation vsed in our Church you had neither opened a way to your owne wrong hazarded for your curious disobedience the Churches censure nor procured our labour in defending her at this time It need not to be supposed by any that the Church of England desireth to impose an allowance of any corrupt translation neither are you or any other as we haue often told you required to allow by subscription the translation but onely to approue the forme of diuine seruice and yet surely the care of this Church since the light of the Gospell did shine in it was neuer wanting to publish the scriptures translated as agreeable to the fountaines as they could deuise and to this end authoritie did commaund the allowance of
that translation which for their 〈◊〉 and cost in it is commonly calâ—ed the Bishops Bible from whence if you or any man collect that because a new translation is authorised and the papistes iustly taxed by our men for adhering to the vulgar that any man might correct the translations in the communion Booke where they obscured or crossed the sense we must tell you that first for the vulgar translation we disable not so farre but that we are readie to confesse whether you vnderstand the Italian or that which goeth vnder the name of Saint Hierom that they were vsed anciently in the Church a thousand and three hundred yeares ago one of them by Saint Austin preferred before all the rest the other highly commended by Beza and that of the vulgar though with Pagian and Dryedo we thinke it were not Saint Hieroms but mixt yet we can be content to say as Isiodor doth of it Interpretatio eius ceteris anteponitur his translation is to be preferred before others but for all this both you the Church of Rome must know that these neither are so pure as the fountaines themselues for no translation whatsoeuer is Authenticall Scripture and that from hence euerie priuate man must not take libertie vnto himselfe to correct and amend at his owne pleasure least wee haue iust occasion to complaine as Saint Hierome doth that there be as many varieties of translations as there be bookes whilest euerie man according to his fancie addeth or detracteth as seemeth good to himselfe Neyther can an error in translating in any Church be an argument sufficient to proue it to be no Church And concerning the Church of England it hath not wanted a care and a religious care in this point and therefore it were no reason for you or any to reproue her for that wherein she deserueth prayse onely your patience is required to forbeare all priuate corrections of translations vntil authority from the diligent labors of learned men wholly imployed in that busines may establish a better yet the faults in this are not such but they may be tollerated without offence though peradueÌ„ture corrected with more benefit And seeing there is no error in faith contrarie to the doctrine of the Church that can be in pretence confirmed by any reading which we allow me thinks the article of subscription may wel say that the book of common prayer containeth nothing in it contrarie to the word of God and that it may lawfully be so vsed But say you if Austin whom I call Saint Austin vpon the credit of many Latin copies would not admit one word palam where the sense rather required theÌ„ receiued it because it was not in the Greeke how shal I approue vnder my hand a translation which hath many omissions c. If your moderation had beene like vnto Saint Austins in this case we should haue little cause to mislike your doing and yet the example which you bring for your best warrant being stretched so far as you do cannot iustly be reckond amoÌ„gst S. Austins vertues For in that place which you alledge he saith Multa latina exemplaria sic habent et pater tuus quividet in absconso reddet tibi palam sed quia in Graecis quae priora sunt non inuenimus palam non putauimus huic aliquid disserendum esse Now I see not what can be directly gathered from S. Austins example for palaÌ„ was not in some Greek copies but I hope you know what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is which sometimes they traÌ„slate in propatulo somtimes palam if the old Latin translation want it the Greek haue it as Doctor Whitakers noteth Iudge whether you ought to imitate Saint Austin in this whom the Rhemistes follow rather then the original which is followed by our Church and therefore the blemishes in our translation which your zeale hath published of omission addition obscuritie peruerting as senselesse contrary and such like we are willing to answer them when we come to your obiections in the last page whch wee know you cannot proue not that you want wit but because you are not assisted with a good cause APOLOGY FRom the exceptions concerning the Scriptures I come to those which arise about the SacrameÌ„ts And though there because to speake of priuat Communions as on the Churches part not so well ordained yet I will insist vpon priuate Baptisme and will draw vnto it that Rubrick which saith that it is certaine by Gods word that Infantes baptised haue all things needfull to saluation and are vndoubtedly saued This speech I did interpret as spokeÌ„ not simply but ex hypothesi in opposition to the popish conceit of the necessity of confirmation in this maner that the child hath al things necessary that is all outward means needs no confirmation is vndoubtedly saued that is as vndoubtedly as if it were confirmed And vnto this construction the precedent part of the Rubrick directed me the sound doctrine of our Church against the simple necessity of Baptisme and grace inseperably annexed therto did set me in it then the speech seemed like that of Christ in the ninth of Iohn where hee saith neither hath this man sinned nor his father that is not in such sense as the question was asked whether he or his father had sinned As for priuate Baptisme by a lawfull minister being acccompanied with such doctrine as our Church hitherto hath generally receiued about the same I thought it might be inexpeâ—tent but not vnlawfull But my Lord obseruing since in the booke of conference that my Lord of Londoâ— leauing the state of the child vnbaptised as vncertaine saith that if it die baptised there is an euident assurance that it is saued without any exception made of Gods eternall purpose and further that the place in the third of Iohn Except a man be regenerate of water and of the holy Ghost c. must be vnderstord of the Sacrament of baptisme which conceit if we draw the text to infants must necessarily thrust vs as it diâ— Austin and other Fathers vpon the simple necessity of that Sacrament vnto saluation as the like words in the sixt of Iohn Except ye eate the flesh and drinke the bloud of the Sonne of man ye cannot be saued being vnderstood of the other Sacrament drew on the Administration thereof to Infants perceiuing I say the grounds laid in that conference and by whom and adding therunto that addition to the Catechisme that there be two Sacraments as generally necessary to salâ—uation and the sixtie ninth Canon which vnder paine of suspension bindes the Minister in case of necessity to hast to the baptising of euery weake child the very night not excepted It seemeth to me that our Churches doctrine in this point is declining to that opinion of the simple necessitie of that Sacrament and grace annexed thereto which we formerly opposed And if this be