a lesser sinne for to performe a duety that is greater Answere First the doctrine of the proposition remaineth true notwithstanding this obiection For the case is proposed not of a sinne and a duetie but of two dueties being considered a part being both commanded of God and there is no such case wherein a greater duetie is to bee neglected for the performance of a lesser which also is in reason absurd Secondly to the instance of preaching in a naked manner I say that in this case there are two things to bee considered Necessitie and Decency if then he cannot preach naked but with the perill of his life he ought to refuse preaching it being a case of necessity and mercy is better then sacrifice But if his life will consist with his naked preaching hee ought to preach notwithstanding the scandall or indecencie if there bee no other meanes admitted for his preaching 1 Because a mans naked body being considered as it is naked it is the good creature of God and is not indecent to be looked on but to vncleane and vaine mindes it is decent enough to the pure 2 Because the gayning of soules and meanes of mans saluation is a duety of farre greater reason and waight then the auoyding of an inconuenient circumstance of scandall or of seeming indecencie arising only by accident not from the nature of the obiect and the like case is of the practise of our Ceremonies to redeeme the libertie of preaching to the place Rom. 3. 8. which sheweth that we may not doe the least euill to compasse the greatest good I say that to the present purpose wee may consider euill two manner of wayes For first euill is either that which is formally simply and in nature euill which no circumstance can amend As to redeeme preaching vpon condition of blaspheming God Inuocating the Deuill committing of idolatry periury idultery teaching of heresie or the like the which kind of euill is intended by the Apostle and may not bee done at any hand for the gayning of the greatest good 2 Againe euill may bee taken for that which is onely circumstantially ceremonially or accidentally euill which kind of euill may in some cases bee practised without sinne namely in case of superior reason at what time it is improperly called euill That this is so appeareth in the Priests who brake the Sabbath in Dauid who did that which was not lawfull for him to doe and yet were blamelesse and innocent Mat. 12. 4 5. 7. Also in the practise of Iewish inconuenient and many wayes euill Ceremonies which practise was so farre from being euill in that case that it was good and necessary Act. 15. 28. 29. touching this obiection see more at the end of the argument Obiect Mordecay refused to bow and performe the gesture of reuerence to Haman yea though hee were commanded by the King Hest 3. 1 2 3. by which refusall of obedience to a ceremoniall hee violated two greater dueties One was the Kings command and the other was the hazard of his life and destruction of the Church of the Iewes and thereby for performance of a lesser duetie hee did violate a greater Answ Either this gesture was Spirituall or Ciuill if the former hee ought to auoide spirituall adoration to a creature an heathen a wicked person an Amalekite and an enemy of the Church which is a sufficient and the true answere and thus doe all interpreters vnderstand this place thus the Hebrew glosse thus the Apocryphall prayer in the additions to Hester Lyra Vataplus Iunius Drusius Merlyne vpon these places If the latter either his action was euill or good if euill in disobeying the Magistrate in a thing indifferent it is impertinently alledged if well the reason is vnknowne and not expressed wee cannot iudge of the qualitie of the dueties compared if he did refuse this reuerence 1 Because hee was of the Amalekites which were especially cast out by God Exod. 11. 14. Deut. 25. 7. Num. 24. 7. 2 Because an open prophane person a malitious and professed aduersary of Gods Church 3 Because himselfe was a better man then Haman being the Queenes Vncle it may bee considerable whether hee did not well euen in this respect to refuse this reuerence Touching the hazard of his life and ruine of the Church it was vnknowne to Mordecai for Haman practised it because he did refuse it Obiect Daniel neglected a greater duety to performe a lesser for hee continued to pray three times a day kneeling vpon his knees his window being open towards Ierusalem notwithstanding that he knew that he should die for doing it so hee preferred the ceremonie and circumstance of prayer which was a smaller duetie before the safety of his life which was a greater Dan. 6. 10. Also the Iewes chose rather to die then to eate Swines flesh 2. Mac. 7. 1. and 6. 8. preferring obseruance of a ceremoniall duetie before their life Answ To these instances I first demaund whether these bee brought therefore to conclude that therefore Ministers should rather die then to vse the Ceremonies prescribed in our Church And let it bee considered seriously by euery person truely fearing God whether they thinke it fit for another or could resolue himselfe to loose this life by being at a stake for none other cause then for refusing the prescribed Ceremonies especially in a true Church of Christ wherein there are otherwise a true confession of faith and sufficient meanes of their saluation If it should fall out that they would not die in such a case I would know further how then they could loose their Ministery for not vsing them seeing it were better for a Minister to loose his life then to loose the comfort of his Ministerie Act. 20. 24. 1. Cor. 9. 15. If they would rather suffer death then vse the Ceremonies let them shew the ground and comfort they should haue before the Lord in this proceeding If they alleadge these instances I wil shew to how small purpose they serue therein therefore I say that their cases doe farre differ from the case in question First they were controuersies depending betweene the heathen and professed enemies of Gods Church and betweene the people of Gods couenant and members of the Church our controuersies are in the Church and betweene professed louers and beleeuers in Christ Secondly they were cases of confession wherein they were called to confesse the trueth and religion of God amongst Gods enemies as also the necessitie of inuocation of Gods name and of obedience to Gods precepts With vs the doctrine of Ceremonies is true and according to Gods word and the parts of our generall confession in the Booke of Articles is agreeable to the word of God Thirdly the dueties were of exceeding great moment for the performance whereof they should haue hazarded and lost many liues Daniel stood in obedience of a maine substantiall duetie not Ceremoniall or circumstantiall of the first commandement namely prayer to God and praysing of his name
opposit therto if it be fauourably taken or construed on the better part For I confesse there want not some few matters which if they be not * candidè fairely taken may seeme not altogether to agree vnto the word of God Script Angl. fol. 456. Praefac ad censur Caluin In the English Leturgie or booke of Common prayer which you describe I perceiue sundry * tolerabiles ineptias Looke the discourse of the troubles at Frankford fol. 28. wherin is shewed that Knox Whitingham and others described the English Leturgie to which description this was the answer of Caluin as appeareth there fol. 34 35 tolerable vnfitnesses In which two words I expresse thus much that there was not that purity therein contained which were to be wished which blemishes at the first day of reformation could not be corrected Wherein seeing there is conteined no manifest impiety these things therfore ought to be borne with for a season Ep. 200. fol. 336. and a little after to the English exiles at Frankeford which desired reformation of the English Leturgie hee giueth this aduise Vos vltra modum rigidos esse nolim Epist. 200. fol. 336. Of the which aduice of his he thus speaketh in Epist. 228. fol. 374. in Anglorum controuersia moderationem tenui cuius me non poenitet in Epist 206. fol. 342. hee perswadeth one part to incline themselues to all possible moderation and is displeased with the other part that nothing by them was yeelded or mitigated Martyr loc com inter Epist fol. 1127. amico in Angliam For mine owne part I wish that all things may bee done simplicissimè most free from humane mixtures in the worship of God Yet when I thinke with my selfe that if peace betweene the Saxon Churches and ours might be obtained there would follow no separation for such matters as these Ceremonies Alexander Alesius a worthy Scot of great account and note in Proaem before his Translation of the Common prayer Booke in Script Anglican Buceri fol. 373. commendeth the performance of it by our Countrey-men exceedingly with their great diligence and care therein and calleth it Preclarissimum diuinum factum in constituting and ordering the Church of Christ according to that Booke further declareth that the vertue and pietie of English men in this matter would reioyce many mindes and bee an help to the endeuors of others in the like and that it was euident that the enemies of the trueth were very sorry of the good successe and progresse herein Also hee complaineth with Gregory of some Vt cōmotis studijs contentio semper irritet aliquorum indignationem vtque nimio ardore interdum admodum peccetur dum nemo minus videri altero ac potius solus sapere vult fit vt non necessarijs quaestionibus disputationibus necessariarum rerum cognitio negligatur further he sheweth this contention of brethren about this booke to come of the diuell who failing one way seeketh another to mischiefe the Church hee complaineth of some Aliquam diuisionis occasionem arripientibus non iam nulli vocabula penissyllabas expendendo verbis tantùm litigant reipsa si placidè exquiratur futuri concordes Of the common prayer booke it selfe he saith Hic liber per se vtilis futura lectio ipsius quà m plurimis hoc tempore diuinitus oblatus esse videatur ibid. fol. 375. Cranmer Martyr In his purgation of slanders against him If the Queenes highnesse will graunt thereunto I with Maister Peter Martyr and other foure or fiue which I shall chuse will by Gods grace take vpon vs to defend not onely the common prayers of the Church the ministration of the Sacraments and other rites and Ceremonies but also all the doctrine and religion set out by our said Soueraigne Lord King Edward the sixt to be more pure and according to Gods word then any other that hath beene in England these 1000. yeeres so that Gods word may bee iudge Acts mon. fol. 1465. Bishop Ridley When Bishop Grindall from beyound Sea wrote to him in prison being condemned to bee burned concerning Knox his peremptory and violent exceptions against our booke of Common prayer which was euen misliked by Caluin himselfe Epist fol. answered by writing thus Alas that brother Knox could not beare with our booke of Common prayer in matter against which although I grant a man as hee is of wit and learning may finde apparant reasons yet I suppose hee cannot soundly by the word of God to disproue any thing in it Act. mon. Doctor Taylor Martyr There was after that set forth by the most innocent King Edward for whom God be praised euerlastingly the whole Church seruice with great deliberation and by the aduise of the best learned men of the Realme and authorised by the whole Parliament and receaued and published gladly by the whole Realme which booke was neuer reformed but once and yet by that reformation it was so fully perfected according to the rules of our Christian religion in euery behalfe that no Christian conscience could bee offended with any thing therein contained I meane of that booke reformed Act. mon. fol. 1521. Exiles at Franckeford Among them was great diuision and dissention about the vsing of the Common prayer booke of England one part refusing it as Iohn Knox William Whittingham Christopher Goodman Dauid Whitehead Miles Couerdale Iohn Fox Anthonie Gilby c. The other part standing for it which also were reuerend persons as Thomas Leauer Iohn Iewell Iohn Mullins Iohn Parckhust Lawrence Humphry Iames Pilkington Alexander Nowell Iames Haddon Edwin Sands Edmund Grindall and others Looke the discourse of the troubles at Franckeford fol. 16. 23. 19. Which dissentions caused them to seeke the iudgements of other churches and their teachers as of Caluin Beza Bullinger fol. 25. 199. Also Robert Horne Thomas Leauer Io. Mullins Tho. Bentham W. Cole Io. Parckhust Lawrence Humphry c. were all fully determined to vse none other then the order last taken in the Church of England Discourse fol. 16. 223. The same order of seruice concerning religion which was in England last set forth by King Edward fol. 10. Also Iames Haddon Edwin Sands Edmund Grindall Christopher Goodman c. not doubting or distrusting their good conformitie and ready desires in reducing the English Church now begun there to it former perfection it had in England least by much altering the same wee should seeme to condemne the chiefe authours thereof whereas they now suffer so are they not ready to confirme that fact with the price of their bloud c. fol. 22. 23. They also at Franckford writing to them at Zurick exiled also dissenting from them about our Ceremonies Thought not that any godly men would stand to the death in defence of those Ceremonies which as the booke specified vpon iust occasions may be altered accounting it an argument that they are slenderly taught which for a Ceremony will refuse such a singular benefit
for answere I say there is agreement betweene them in the most part of those many things whereby our Ceremonies are vrged and accused to be simply euill and vnlawfull as before appeareth so that this obiection is nothing to the pointin question or to giue direct answere to this argument For my allegation of these things doeth confirme thus much Namely that it is good and necessary to practise inconuenient scandalous and hurtfull Ceremonies in a case of superior reason namely of procuring the Churches peace and libertie of the Gospel and the like which no man will deny and I seeke no more For admit these Ceremonies with vs in controuersie to be inconuenient hurtfull and scandalous more or lesse it skilleth not so long as they bee of no other nature then those Iewish Ceremonies prescribed and practised by the Apostles as hath beene prooued they are not how will it be auoyded but that in case of superior reason as of auoyding depriuation of the Ministrie they may lawfully and needfully be practised and that according to the minde of the holy Ghost and the direction of the holy Scripture Obiection But the Church of England hath not the like causes and reasons to prescribe and enioyne the present Ceremonies as the Apostles had to prescribe the Iewish Answere First this obiection is nothing to the poynt in hand For the question is heere not whether our Church doth well to prescribe these Ceremonies But whether such Ceremonies being prescribed as the Church conformed to by the Apostles decree in a case of necessitie ought not to be conformed to by our depriued Ministers in a case of like or greater necessitie Secondly But the Church of England in prescribing Preface to the book of common Prayer tit Of Ceremonies these Ceremonies professeth a respect of winning and profiting two sorts First Some thinking it a matter of great conscience to depart from a piece of the least of their Ceremonies Secondly some new fangled would innouate all things and despise the old nothing liking them but that which is new therefore they thought it expedient to take away some such as were most apt to bee abused to superstition and to retaine others and in their practise they tooke away so many ceremonies as time would serue quietly to doe it the rest were reserued to keepe order and quiet decipline in the Church Which is further noted to King Edwards answere to the Deuonshire and Cornishe rebells who being Ans to 3. Artic. Act monument Papistes would haue the Masse in Lattine To whom the King replyeth that the good things in the Masse-bookes were onely translated into English for their sakes onely the superstition taken out Obiect The Apostles Acts 16. 3. and 18. 18. and 21. 26. Did vse the Iewish ceremonies voluntarily without compulsion of any superior authority or Law to stoppe a scandal with the weake brethren of the Iewes If therefore that be pressed for the vse of our ceremonies it will proue a necessitie of vsing them out of the case of depriuation aswell as in that extremity and that a man must practise them voluntarily without any compulsion or hazard of Ministry Ans First though the cases of the Apostles practise in Act. 16. 18. 23. were voluntarily performed that is without commaund of any superior authority yet the case of practise in Acts 15. 28. 29. Was inioyned decreed and commanded Acts 16 4. and 21. 25. And that by the rule of necessitie then which there can hardly be a greater argument of compulsion Act. 15. 28. Secondly and besides the very cases alleadged were done by compulsion also of preuenting the Iewes offence yea in a case of danger also of depriuation to the Apostles if they had not conformed as appeareth by the tumult made by the Iewes Acts. 21. 27 28 29 30. Vpon a supposition of those Iewes that Paul taught non-confirmitie vnto the Iewish ceremonies Verse 21. By the which tumult they raised it came to passe that Paul was indeed depriued from any free vse of his Apostleship in Iudea til he came to Rome as appeareth in the sequell of the history And if there were no Law for depriuation of Ministers yet if the execution of their office were in hazard I doubt not but they should conforme for compulsion may aswell be vsed without Law as with Law Obiect Those ceremonies were practised but once or twice vpon extraordinary occasions But ours are vrged for a perpetuity and vpon an ordinary and standing reason and are like to continue without euer remoouing them Answ Neither doeth this obiection come neere the poynt in hand which prooueth that such ceremonies as ours are in themselues not simply euill nor of noe other nature then those ceremonies enioyned and practised by the Apostles which therefore in a case of necessity may bee practised by vs yet I answere Touching the ceremonies practised by the Apostles First it is true they were not alwayes by them practised but vpon certaine occasions Howbeit they were alwayes practised by them when they met with the same occasion of necessity and would oftner haue practised them if by the like necessity they had beene driuen to it which shewes the necessity of conforming to inconuenient ceremonies in the case of depriuation Secondly when the Apostles decreed the abstaining from blood and strangled it was inioyned without limitation of time whereupon a man might haue made this obiection vnto their decree and say They are vrged for a perpetuitie and vpon an ordinary and standing reason namely of necessity and fitnesse and are not euer like to be remooued Thirdly also some of the prescribed Iewish ceremonies endured longer in the Church then on the sudden may be imagined For it is obserued that Christians abstayned from blood and strangled till the time of Tertullian Origen Whitaker de Ro. pon cont 4. quest 7. fol. 832. 833. Syrill Eusebius Councell of Ganga yea of Augustine 400. yeeres after Christ 2 Concerning our ceremonies it is vntrue that they are vrged for a perpetuity for the preface of the common prayer booke expresly saith of the ceremonies prescribed thus they are retained for a discipline and order which vpon iust causes may be altered and changed and therefore not to be esteemed equall to Gods Law And for the continuance of practise of our ceremonies I suppose noe sound Protestant will pleade for the necessity of their practise or continuance longer then the reason of necessity doeth hold Our case is rather to be matched with the time of Pauls refusing Obiect part M Parker 2. sect 14. fol. 71 to circumcise Titus and of his reproouing Peter for his dissimulation in cōforming to the Iewes Ga. 2. 3. 11. 13. Answ This can by noe meanes hold as appeareth because Paul in a case of hazard of his Ministry disquiet of the Church and interruption of preaching the Gospell which is our case did circumcise Timothy Acts 16. 3. But did vtterly refuse as also all the
Leiser They permit allow and defend the Baptisme of Women Colloqu Mompelgart fol. 499. Conrad Schlusselb lib. 1. cap. 18 fol. 60. They vse the old hallowed Fonts to baptize in Berne and Lansanna Beza in vita Caluini anno 1538. and euerie where They haue such as vndertake for childrens education in Baptisme commonly called Godfathers Caluin Ep. 302. fol. 491. So in the Lowe Countries as appeareth in Actis inferioris Germaniae M. Can. 41. anno 1581. apud Sculting Anachr Hierarch lib. 9. Touching the Lords Supper THey vse kneeling at the Communion in all the Lutheran Churches Harmon confess Bohem. § 14. fol. 120 and that is the more dangerous because of their doctrine of consubstantiation They vse the Wafer cake as the Papists doe in the Church of Geneua Bez. in vita Caluin They giue it in priuate and vnto the sicke Schluselb lib. 1. cap. 30. fol. 161 162. Harm confess § 16. Witenberg fol. 197. Yea they gaue it vnto onely two ibid. § 14. fol. 146. They retaine the name of Missa the Masse Harm confess § 14. fol. 107. Augustan They keepe none backe from the Communion be they neuer so scandalous of life in the Churches of Heluetia in libello de ritibus Eccles Tigur fol. 16. The ministers doe put in the Bread and Wine into the mouthes of the Communicants ibid. fol. 15. Touching the holy Scripture THey make the Epistle to the Hebrewes and that of Solom Gesner compend de Script fol. 11. Iames and the second and third of Iohn and Iude with the Apocalyps to be either Apocryphals or at least of more doubtful authority then other parts of Scripture in the Lutheran Churches Chemnit Enchir. fol. 63. propositiones Marpurg tom 1. Hunnij fol. 3. tom 2. Winkelman fol. 5. Laelius de verbo Dei proposit 22. fol. 113. propos 22. 130. They reade the Scriptures after the forme of Epistles and Gospels in the Churches of the Lutherans Heluetians Nassouians Countie Palatines as appeareth by the Epistle of Luther Melancthon Heming Gualt Oleuian Textor So Harm confess § 1. fol. 9. Bohem. lib. de ritibus Eccles Tigur fol. 4. They reade publikely the Apocryphal Books of Scripture in the Church Touching prayer and Leturgie THey retaine the forme of their Leturgie like vnto the Masse booke Harm confess § 14. fol. 127. Augustan fol. 131. ibid. Looke the Booke de ritibus Eccl. Tigur fol. 12 13 15 16. they haue the Angelicall Hymne Gospels gloria Patri gloria tibi Domine after the Gospel c. They haue sundry prayers and Hymnes in the Latine tongue Harm confess § 14. fol. 127. Aug. They haue the vse of Waxe candles in the Lutheran and Danish Churches Heming syntag 4. lex Decal § 33. fol. 365. Simlerus de vita Bulling fol. 34. They vse the Surplesse Heming ibid. Simler ibid. They vse no singing of Psalmes in some Churches of Heluetia in lib de ritibus Eccle. Tigur fol. 9. b. They suffer and doe vse priuate prayers at burials ibid. fol. 27. a. b. Touching Churches THeir old Churches idolatrously abused standing East and West with the Chancell and in forme of a Crosse retained euery where They retaine Images in their Churches and maintaine a lawfull vse of them Colloq Mompelg fol. 390 403 404. Schlusheb Theolog. Calu. li. 1. cap. 10. fol. 35. 36. Eckhard Fasc quaest cap. 8. quaest 3. Heming syntag 4. lex Decal § 33. fol. 365. Siml b. sup They retaine Altars in stead of the Communion Table so placed in the Church as are the idolatrous altars of the Papists Colloqu Mompelgart fol. 424. 425. In the Lutheran Churches and also in the Church of Berne Ibid. Heming syntag 4. lex decal § 33. fol. 365. They retaine the vse of Organs in the Church and other musicall instruments Colloq Mompelg fol. 391. 409. Touching discipline THey haue Diocesan Bishops and Archbishops in Simler in vit Bulling fol. 35 36. Heming enchirid class 3. cap. 10. ord Eccle. fol. 348. Idem Syntag. tit gubernat Eccl. §. 15 16 17. fol. 228. Denmarke and superintendants and euen Abbots in Germany among the Lutherans Melancht consil part 1. fol. 95 96 225 276 610. Harm confes § 17. fol. Augustan Some Bishops of France conuerted from Popery retained their place and office still by common consent of the French Church Caluin Epist 373. fol. 646 647 648. So Martyr Loc. com ad finem inter Ep. fol. 1143. Bezae They haue no vse at all of excommunication in the Churches of Countie Palatine Heluetia of Witenberg Mompelgart Erast de excommunica fol. 356 382. Vrsin catech part 2. qu. 83 84. fol. 620. Caluin Epist 166 170 366. neither ruling Elders T. C. his admonit fol. 83 84. They haue holy dayes of Christ his Natiuitie Passion Resurrection Pentecost c. in the Heluetian Churches lib. de ritib. Eccl. Tigur fol. 4. In the Churches of the Low-countries Brownist 2. Letters to Iunius in the Churches of Denmarke Heming Syntagm 4 lex Decal 22. 24. 25. fol. 363. 364. Also in the Church of Berne Aretius Problem loc 99. fal 289. They haue holidaies consecrated to the memoriall of the Virgin Mary the twelue Apostles S. Paul S. Iohn Baptist S. Stephen Innocents Saint Michael Al Saints as appeareth in the Epistles which are before alleadged also Heming vbi sup Harm confess § 19. fol. 176. Bohem. Their Ministers are called by them Sacerdotes Priests as are the Popish Mass-priests Harm confess Bohem. § 11. fol. 47. fol. 4. 62. Aug. Item § 13. fol. 93. Bohem. Heming syntag 4. lex Decal § 11. fol. 43. albeit otherwise the Tigurines disclaime this name being taken in the worser sence Harm confess § 11. fol. 38. They haue Deacons not Collectors for the poore but a degree to the Ministry and an assistant to him yea supplying the place of a Minister in his absence Harm confess 11. fol. 47. lib. 2. de ritibus Eccle. Tigur fol. 7. 16. Their Ministers in the Heluetian Churches doe play the Deacons and gather contributions for the poore lib. de ritibus Eccles Tigur fol. 22. They practise and maintaine auricular confession and priuate absolution Harm confess § 8 fol. 142. 143. Bohem § ibid fol. 147. 150. August ‖ ibid fol. 154. Saxon. ‖ ibid. fol 160. Wittenberg schlusselb Theol. Caluinist lib. 1. cap. 19. fol. 6. 9. Simlerus in vita Bullingeri fol. 34. calleth it priuatam quandam confessionem parum a Papistica differentem yet looke Zepper de Sacram cap. 35. fol. 787. 798. They allow and practise a kind of preaching and absolution of repentant sinners by women in the absence of the minister among the Lutherans Colloqu Mompelg fol. 499. And thus wee see in part the estate of reformed Churches in respect of ceremonies Not that hereby I doe goe about to iustifie these Ceremonies which they doe practise but thinking and professing many of them rather most fit to be abolished in many respects and the Churches of Christ to be reduced so
Signe of the crosse in Baptisme kneeling at the Communion are not per se Idololatrica matters of themselues Idolatrous Ibid. Epist 12. fol. 99. 100. Heming It is adiaphorum natur â a matter indifferent in nature to performe holy things as Baptisme and the Lords Supper in a linnen garment Enchirid. tit de Adiaph class 3. cap. 10. fol. 375. Zanch It is liberum per se a free matter of it selfe to vse or not to vse a linnen garment De redempt lib. 1. cap. 16. fol. 445. Bucan Indifferēt things are said to be such actions which are neither precisely commanded in the Law or word of God neither yet expresly forbidden to be done as to eate flesh or this or that kinde of meate or not to eate it on this or that kinde of day to be clothed in this fashion or colour or not to be clothed Loc. 33. quaest 13. fol. 382. Cartwright The Surplesse is a thing in its owne nature indifferent In the rest of the 2. reply fol. 262. Polanus The vse of a linnen garment is a thing indifferent In Ezec. 44. fol. 807. Obiect Your common prayer Booke is framed like the Romish Masse booke This obiection was made by such as Alexander Alesius calleth optimi veritatus studiosissimi Answ Alesius To this obiection albeit they giue answere which framed the Common prayer Booke themselues in the Preface of ceremonies yet we also may say truely that it is best in all changes and alterations as little to digresse or differ much from those things which are in vse as possible may bee because sodaine and great alterations are euer very perillous And it is much more safe to follow the commendable consent of some few then casting all away to begin and ordaine another altogether new The errors and faults of the Masse bookes are not therefore approoued if something be defended which those errors haue defiled so the errors be remoued Neither doth the Phisitian flatter the disease if presently he cut not off and cast not away the member which laboureth with a recouerable euill This whether ye call it wisedome or moderation or timorousnesse or whatsoeuer I say it neither serueth neither gratifieth the impiety of any but doth performe a necessary duety warily and circumspectly and with the feare of God and serueth God and the Church in professing and defending and keeping the heauenly trueth and doeth glorifie the Sonne of God which will be worshipped by holinesse and righteousnesse before God and adored by the holy Ghost This moderation will not content him that is more hot of nature yet let such a one looke what hee doth and whither he goeth Let him looke that he be not ouer-wise more then he ought to be wise Let him not cauill at other mens godly and temperate reasons neither let him insolently condemne others lesse stout and confident For all must stand before the tribunall of God to giue an account of the things they haue done Let not therefore the high minded too curiously pry into all the sayings and doings of the more humble Let him beare with some things let him slaunder none Let him not hope by wrangling or brauling that it is possible to giue helpe to things out of order but rather to all agreement making to bring two necessary affections one of knowing the state another of pardoning the faults Iudgement is a great and high thing This by how much the businesse is greater is by so much the more diligently intended and opinion is lesse rashly to be giuen The cause ought to be euident not ambiguous and of great weight and by no meanes to be dissembled for the which one brother should accuse another much lesse that it hold a right affection to condemne him Let euery one therefore looke that hee be not swift to speake but rather attentiue to know and inclined to pardon wheresoeuer he may lawfully do but of this sufficient Inter. Script Anglic. Buceri fol. 374. Obiect Bishop Hooper Holy significatiue signes are vnlawfull Answ Bucer 1. When as God by his word hath sanctified all things by our prayers and hath made all things pure to the pure what cause can wee alleadge out of the word of God to deny that God will not blesse the vse of such signes whereof we speake that it should not be effectuall to that Church to some commendation of the Ministrie and thereof also to some edification of the faith For how can it be but that hee which promised to blesse the workes of our hands which we take in his name wil deny his blessing to these signes seeing he hath no where forbidden such an vse of them as we haue expounded and hath made vs Lords of the Sabbath and all other things in the world In Epist. Ioan. Alasco 2. Let vs consider what the Holy Ghost teacheth of the signification of a womans vaile and couering of the mans head 1. Cor. 10. wherefore doeth hee particularely mention the bright garments of the Angels The Holy Ghost doeth nothing rashly and doeth by all creatures preach the saluation of his which consisteth in the faith of the Gospel Script Anglican fol 709. Hoopero Petre Martyr The Ministers of the Church are the Angels and Messengers of the Church as Malachy witnesseth and the Angels all wayes for the most appeared as apparelled in white garments This hee calleth honesta iusta significatio a Scripturis non aliena an honest and fit signification of the Surplesse not disagreeing or strang from the Scripture How shall wee depriue the Church of this libertie that it may not signifie some thing by her actions and Ceremonies so as the people of Christ bee not burdened with Ceremonies and better things be not hindered ye will say let them declare themselues to be Angels indeed let them not signifieit But this might be replied as well on Saint Paul when hee appointed among the Corinthians that a woman should haue her head couered a man haue his head open 1. Cor. 11. 5. for he only presseth the reason of signification to confirme this Ceremonie Now any man of the Corinthian Church might here reply vpon him thus let the man declare himselfe indeed to be the head of the woman and let the woman shew her selfe subiect to her husband by their deeds and life let them not striue to declare it by signes But the Apostle saw that euen this might profitably be done not onely that wee liue rightly but also that by words and signes we be admonished of our duetie Loc. com fol. 1089. Epist Hoopero Zanchius Albeit a garment linnen or wollen for a Minister be numbred among indifferent things yet for the signification magis deceret vestis linea quà m lanea a linnen garment were more decent then a wollen for a Minister to weare in the administration of the Sacrament for that it is the Symbole or type of innocencie and holinesse Hence in the Apocalips white garments are giuen the Saints De redempt cap. 16.
ministery can bee of that necessity and vse for the glory of God and good of his Church as was the ministery of any Apostle The worke whereunto the Lord hath called and separated the Apostles viz. the planting of the Church and preaching of the Gospel to all nations was such as could not haue beene performed by any other but the Apostles alone But in the depriuation of our Ministers that refuse conformitie there is no such danger and of their preaching there can bee no such necessitie imagined though they preach not the Gospel is preached stil and that soundly and fruitfully And how then can Master Spr. say that the auoiding of depriuation with vs is a reason either superior or aequiualent vnto that which mooued the Apostles to doe as they did if hee had said there is great similitude and analogie betweene these two cases he had spoken probably but to maintaine a paritie betweene them he hath no colour of reason at all 2. The Apostles in vsing and inioyning those Ceremonies might bee well assured that they should greatly further the successe of the Gospel thereby the beleeuing Iewes would bee preserued from Apostasie the vnbeleeuing many of them would be gained and that they should not onely obtaine libertie and freedome for their Ministerie by this meanes among the Iewes but that the very vsing of these things would edifie them Now our Ministers haue no reason that is either Superior or aequiualent vnto this to perswade them to the vse of our Ceremonies for they cannot be assured that the vsing of our Ceremonies would doe any good at all no they are well assured by many reasons long experience that they would doe much hurt euery way both vnto the belieuer and to him that is not yet called to the faith And should not he thinke you haue great cause to brag of this bargaine who after that he had purchased the liberty of his ministry by yeelding vnto conformity should finde euer after a wofull experience that he hath done much more hurt by his conformity then good by his ministry 3. The Apostles in vsing inioyning those Ceremonies if they had enioyned any and the Churches also in obseruing them by their appointment if any such thing had bin were well assured in their consciences they did that which was not onely lawfull but necessary for them to doe and that they had sinned if they had not done so for they had diuine authority to warrant command to do as they did Will Master Spr. say that the auoiding of depriuation with vs is a reason either superiour or equiuolent vnto this our Ministers can discerne no such warrant for the vse of our ceremonies but are fully assured they haue this commandement expresly to the contrary And will any man perswade them that for the auoiding of depriuation or a far greater penalty though indeede that be very great they may do a thing which they are assured is euil in the sight of the Lord. For a conclusion to this answere vnto his first maine argument it shall not be amisse to set downe and repeat sundry materiall differences betweene the case of the Apostles and Churches in their times and ours now 1. They vsed such Ceremonies only as both at the first were diuine ordinances and the vse whereof was warranted vnto them by diuine authority We are required to vse such as are inuentions not humane onely but Antichristian 2. They vsed them in this perswasion of their conscience that they might in that case and ought to be vsed neither did they euer inioyne them to any that held them vnlawfull ours are imposed vpon such as are perswaded in their conscience they cannot vse them without sinne 3. They vsed them but once or twice vpon extraordinary occasion we are required to vse ours constantly and continually in the ordinary exercise of our ministery 4. They neuer vsed them but when they saw euidently that the vse of them would preuent scandall and tend vnto edification we are required to vse ours though we see euidently the vse of them would hinder edification and giue offence many waies ¶ A Reply to the Answere of my first Reason for Conformitie in case of Depriuation LEst the answeres of my reasons should hold me void of charity which is not suspitious or to be carried on with euill surmising I will omit that sending an answere to me which am the second person from them they giue answere as to a third Neither will I insist vpon the Ironies which may seeme too palpable among godly minds needed not especially in disquisition of a truth of so great consequence Onely I put my brethren and my selfe in minde for our better prosecuting of this question that piety is meeke and gentle equalling her selfe to the lower sort it scorneth not such as are differing from it in iudgement it is not prouoked to anger but in euidence and demonstration of the truth approueth her selfe to euery mans conscience in the sight of God Now as there is none end of making many bookes so Gods wisedome should instruct vs by contention not to leingthen controuersies for which cause I haue purposed to be short in reply Touching the Preface or generall answere made before the Answere to particulars it might as I suppose haue been well spared as being to small purpose and quite besides the point in question For 1. The Answerers could not be ignorant and my Conclusion drift in handling matter manner whole course of prosecuting in euery Argument doe plainely stretch no farther then to enforce Conformity in case of Depriuation Therfore this caution is but a voluntary and studious wandring from the question Neither doe these arguments labour to make the world beleeue that all depriued Ministers haue sinned in suffring Depriuation but so many onely as for not conforming haue suffred depriuation Therefore this speech of theirs is either an vntrue surmise or a scornefull Ironie 2. Though the Answerers should bee ignorant that any Minister should suffer Depriuation for onely refusing to conforme yet all the faithfull Ministers of these our parts doe know the contrary of sundry my selfe doe know it of my selfe and others And who can be ignorant that diuers Ministers haue been depriued only for not conforming by inditements at Assise and Sessions as well as by the Bishops and doe perpetually stand liable to that censure and is a cause ouer-ruled as appeareth in the Lo. Cookes reports Againe it is well knowen that for these later 5. or 6. yeeres subscription hath not been vrged to Incumbents or setled Ministers but meere conformity And Bishops haue acknowledged being put in minde by men of learning in the Lawes that they could not vrge Subscription either by vertue of the Statute or the booke of Canons to such as were already placed and setled in their charges It was therefore vnaduisedly and vntruely affirmed to say no more that M. Sprint surely bestowed his time very ill and spent a
great deale of labour to no purpose at all And the question is easily solued which asketh Where be those Ministers to bee found in England that haue suffred Depriuation for no other cause but for that they haue refused to conforme But besides the caution here made the Brethren my Answerers were not ignorant of the principall point which they should haue thought vpon chiefly and would haue qualified this their censure that for mine owne necessary resolution in a doubt of depriuation I vndertooke this businesse at first and yet besides they doe forget that in my reasons there are specified other ends and vse of this my labour that it should not be ill bestowed namely to mooue all Ministers who were depriued euen for Subscription as well as for non-conformity to try whether by offer of conformity they might not returne vnto their Ministry which would be a cause of wonderous benefit and comfort to the Church Also it serueth to resolue and quiet such as are to enter which being scrupulous to conforme can receiue admittance by none other meanes And lastly it hath vse for professors of Religion which without conformity to the ceremonies as kneeling at the Communion or admitting the crosse can by no meanes in the most places receiue the Sacramēts of Baptisme or the Lords Supper which things haue bred no small perplexity of minde and outward trouble to many godly persons who if by this meanes of my labour they might be resolued as they may bee if they will follow the iudgement and practise of all true Churches and faithfull teachers since Christ would proue labour to great and good purpose and farre from labour very ill bestowed Men should beware of bearing false witnesse against their neighbour or his honest labours If therefore the Brethrens answere prooue no sounder in the particular then in the generall out of all question it is but weake which now I will further consider of And before I giue reply vnto the particular answere let my Brethren know that this Argument vrged by me is no fancy of mine owne but hath bin thus conceiued euen as I vrge it by persons of most reuerend note in the Church of God such as Caluin Martyr Zanchius Vrsinus Piscator Polanus to the end that they doe not so lightly esteeme of it and cast it of but may be moued more seriously to consider of it Their iudgements I will deliuer in these two propositions 1. The Iewish Ceremonies after the death of Christ were in sundry respects as inconuenient vnlawfull to be practised by Christians as the Ceremonies of the Church of England are pretended to bee yet the holy Apostles of Christ did lawfully practise them and cause others to practise them in cases of necessitie as of the peace of the Church or propagation of the Gospel Caluin in Act. 21. 24. fol. 355. That Ceremonie of vowing practised by Paul seemed to haue in it some things mingled with it Parum consentanea cum fidei professione smally agreeing with the profession of faith yet he defends his practise by the place 1. Cor. 9. 20. Idem in Act. 16. 3. fol. 27. saith Non licuisse fidelibus eas retinere nisi quatenus earū vsus in adificationem faceret That it was not lawfull for the faithfull to retaine their vse but onely so farre forth as their vse did make for the edification of the Church yet in this case hee defendeth the practise of Paul Paulo circumcidere Timotheum licuit fol. 270. the like he doeth in Act. 21. 23. citing 1. Cor. 9. 20. Zanchius saith of the forbidding of strangled and bloud Act. 15. 28. that they were things Superstitionem Iudaicam redolentes also of Pauls vow and purification Act. 18. 18. 21. 23. thus he speaketh Fuerunt tamen etiam illi tunc temporis ritus stipulae cum fundamento Christo non congruentes yet he defendes their practise by the law of charitie and for the peace and edification of the Church Comment in Phillip 1. fol. 45. b Pet. Martyr calleth the Ceremonie of abstaining from bloud and strangled Citra controuersiam Aharonicam yet he defendeth the action as lawfull Pro pace conuictu credentium faciliori Loc. com inter Epist. fol. 1087. Piscator calleth the circumcision of Timothy rē molestā both to Paul and Timothy in Act. 16. 3. yet hee defendeth that practise of his by that saying of 1. Cor. 9. 19. 20. as also that practise of Act. 18. 18. Now that the Ceremonies practised by the Apostles were as euill and inconuenient in their iudgement as our prescribed Ceremonies the proofes of the next proposition will manifest 2. The practise of the Iewish Ceremonies by the Apostles in a case of necessitie such as depriuation of Ministrie is a sufficient ground to moue vs to conforme to the Ceremonies prescribed in our Church in a case of the like necessitie Peter Martyr defending the lawfull vse Vestium Ministrorum Ecclesiae Anglicanae alleadgeth the Apostles iniunction of Act. 15. 23. of Iudaicall Ceremonies Quis non videt Apostolos pro pace conuictu credentium faciliori mandasse gentibus vt a sanguine praefocato abstinerent Erant haec citra controuersiam Aharonica si generaliter omnia quae in lege fuerunt complecti volueris Loc. com fol. 1087. inter Epist Hoopero Vrsinus Speaking De vitiosis Ceremonijs falsis opinionibus cum veritatis insectationibus saith Neque verò polluitur rectè sentiens cum vtitur Ministerio errantium Ceremonias etiam humanas seruat si modò errores disertè constanter improbet neque verbis neque factis aliquis palam per se impiam verbo Dei repugnans committat humanas traditiones pro cultu Dei se non habere profiteatur Paulò Post sic Paulus obseruatione Ceremoniarum accomodabat se infirmis cum auersarentur eum tanquam hostem legis moris patrij in hâcre non peccabat And that wee may not doubt but that hee speaketh of Ceremonies as inconuenient as those of our Church in their iudgement he addeth presently after that such was the iudgement of P. Martyr as also his practise who when he came first into England and the error of corporall presence was as yet in force did yet with profession of his opposite iudgement receaue the Lords Supper with them Non obstantibus sibi illorum Ceremonijs licet ipsimolestis exercitat part 2. fol. 838 839 840. Zanchius perswadeth the Ministers being compelled by necessitie of Magistrates compulsion and threats to the practise of such Ceremonies which may bee termed stipula faenum And giueth instance of the Apostles practise of Iewish Ceremonies as before is alleadged concluding thus Ergo multa toleranda sunt ministris ne pax scindatur Ecclesiarum vt vitentur Schismata modò ne tales sint vel res vel doctrinae quae pugnent cum fundamento fundamentumque conuellant in Philip. cap. 1. fol. 45. Polanus in Ezec. cap. 44. fol.