thing 2. To bring in a new sacrament besyde those two which Iesus Christ hath ordayned is utterly vnlawfull But confirmation as it is prescribed by the booke is made a new sacrament beside those two which Iesus Christ ordained therefore confirmation as it is prescribed by the booke is utterlie unlawfull The assumption or second proposition is proued thus That which is made an outward signe and seale to assure of Gods loue and favour that is made a sacrament in most proper sense as both the scriptures shew and our own articles of religion defining Rom. 4. 11. Arti. relig 25. the sacraments to be sure witnesses and effectuall signes of grace and of Gods goodwill to us but the imposition of BB. hands is made a signe to assure us of Common booke c. of confirm Gods favour and gracious goodnesse to us so be the words of the book therefore it is made a sacrament in most proper sense But this is unlawfull and therefore this kind of confirmation is unlawfull yet the poore ministers of Christ were urged and enioyned under most greevous penalties to subscribe to all 3 That which is the generall duty of all the ministers of the Gospell ought not to be made the particular duty of some few of them But to confirme Christians in the faith of Christ is the generall duty of all the 2. Thess 3. 2 Ezek 34. 4 Eph. 4. 12. 13. Hier. ad luci ministers of the Gospell as appeareth by the Scriptures Therfore it ought not to be made the particular duty of some few of them Hierome saith plainly of confirmation by BB. disce hanc obseruationem potius ad honorem esse sacerdocij quam ad legis necessiatē Know that this order is rather for the honor of priesthood then necessity of Law Object 1. It can not be amisse that BB. pray over the children Answ 1. To thinke the BB. prayers be more holy then any other mans is superstitious the scriptures tell vs that if any man be a worshipper of God the Lord heareth Act. 9. 31 him be he BB. or preacher 2. they do not onely pray ouer them but impose hands upon them that by means therof they may com book c. of Confir receiue strength against all the tentations of sinne which is to take that power to them which the Lord neuer gaue them contrarie to that which is written No Io. 3. 27. man can receiue any thing unlesse it bee given him from aboue Obj. It is meete that such as bee baptized make open profession of their faith that it may appeare how they haue profited and that they may be further confirmed therein Ans All this may be done without any such ceremonie by diligent catechizing 1. Pet. 22. Act. 20. 32. and teaching in every congregation and if there needed any confirmation who are more fit to do it then the pastor of every congregation who best knoweth the profiting of his sheep 4. Against baptizing by women HEre we both agree in the doctrine that women ought not to baptize Our brethren say fieri non debuit women should not haue taken upon them Answ to the petition p. 11. s 2. to baptize but yet exception is taken to our speach Exception The book of common prayer doth not prescribe that baptisme should be administred Answ ibid. by women Answ Yea but if the booke permit it though it do not prescribe it it is more then true divinitie will warrant Now whether the booke seeme not to encline that way let it be considered by these reasons 1. By the booke the Priests and Curats are commanded to warne the people that without great necessity they baptize not children at home in their houses and when great need shall compell them so to doe that then they minister it on this fashion 2. This same they they that minister it is a relatiue therfore if they look back to to find the antecedent what will meete us but they whom the Priests and Curats warned not to baptize their children at home but they whom the Priests and Curats warned not to baptize their children at home were the people yea the vulgar people not ministers and therefore they that be permitted by the booke to baptize bee the people yea the vulgar people 3. If the chyld liue it is to be brought to the church by order of the booke and there the minister is to examine who baptized it which were a folly if the minister had done it himselfe and further with what words it was baptized which were as fond if it were baptized by an ordinary minister of our Church 4. The booke prescribeth no more but that they that be present call uppon God and use the right forme N. I baptize thee c. so that these two things bee observed by the midwife or whosoeuer present the minister is to certifie them by order of the booke that they haue done well and according to due order 5. The child is supposed by the booke to be baptized by such as happily knew not what they did in that great feare and trouble of mind but such as be so greatly feared and troubled at such times be not the ministers who haue nothing to do in those actions but the wiues and such as be present at such times therefore they bee not ministers but the people yea the very women that bee permitted to baptise in such times of necessity VVherefore most noble king Seeing the booke seemeth to carry this sense and Math. 28. 9. to warrant that which the word of Christ never approved VVe most humbly entreat that it may bee either quite remooved or better explained 5. Against the Cap and Surplice 1. THE Massing garments in poperie bee no fit garments for the ministers of the Gospell according to that charge of the Lord you shall pollute Is 30. 22. the coverings of the images and the rich ornaments c. and say unto it get thee hence and againe hate even the garment spotted by the Iude. 21. flesh Hence it was that Iacob when hee reformed the idolatrie of his houshould Gen. 35. 2 he made them also to change their garments But the surplice is one of the massing garments in poperie as both the Protestants Fox martir p. 501. 853 and popish writers shew M. Fox for the Protestants who declares that when a Popish Priest was to bee degraded they took away the surplice from him as one of his priestly garments For the Papists Innocentius and Durandus who bring in the popish Priest so apparelled to his Innoc. myst miss lib. 1. c. 10. Duran lib. 3. c. 1. in rationall Masse therefore it is no fit garment for the ministers of the Gospell Tertullian confirmes this reason shewing that Christians ought not in outward things to conforme themselues unto Idolaters no not in wearing a garland of flowres Nihil saith he dandum est Idolo sic nec sumendum ab
the one shall not understand the other 10. Against longsomnesse of Service THat which serveth to the most edification and building up of the people of God that must especiallie be 1 Cor. 14. 4 5. Act. 20. 32. Eph. 4. 12. regarded in the Church assemblies But preaching doth much more edifie and build vp the people of God then this same long seruice Therefore it must rather bee respected Ambrose sayd well vpon these words let Ambr. in 1. Cor. 14 them speake by two or three viz. Ne occuparent diem linguis loquentes eorum interpretes non haberent tempus prophetae Scripturas discernendi qui sunt totias Eccl. illuminatores Let not them speak witb tongs and their interpreters take up the day so that the Prophets which are the light of the whole Church haue no time to open the Scriptures 2. It is a rule in divinitie that of two good duties if a man cannot doe both in Math. 12. 7 christian wisdome he must do the better So the Lord sayth I will haue mercie and not sacrifice And the Apostle sayth Christ 1. Cor. 1. 17. sent me not to baptize but to preach Now which of these two is the better we meane not in it self but in regard of the edification of Gods Church Let the scriptures decide Come let us go up to house of the Lord. And for what especially Is 2. 3 and cheiflie Ipse docebit nos vias suas the especial end is to know the wayes of God Bucer vpon these words sayth Precipuum opus indicatur veri christiani coetus sincera Lib. 1. de reg Christ c. 3. doctrina eius prompta obedientia The principall work of the true Christian congregation is noted to be sincere doctrine the ready obedience thereof See Gratians glosse Grat. 1. 9. 1. sect Interrogo Therefore seing preaching is the better when a man either through weaknes of body or want of tyme cannot do both wee take him bound to doe the better .i. to preach to the people 3. That which maketh the minister vnfitt to preach and the people vnfit to heare is to be amended But so doth the Opus tripart lib. 3. c. 1. same long and tedious service opus tripart In many Churches they read so long as scarsely any heareth all and if any stay there they commonly fall a sleepe bonum ergo fuit ut ita temperatae lectiones legantur in matutini ut fragilitas humana prae taedio non recedat Synod It was good that the lessons should be read in that order in morning prayer that mens frailty bee not wearied with Synod Ang. c. 8. the tediousnesse Augustine saith ut nimia festinatio in missae lectione religiosas aures offendit ita incongrua prolixitas fastidium generat me diocritatem igitur commendamus As the hudling in reading the masse offendeth the ears so excessiue tediousnesse is irckesome whereas a mean between botb is commendable Therefore this abuse ought to bee amended 1. Obiect This well befits these mens great devotion Answ If this argue want of devotion Answ to the pet p. 12. sect 6. in us to abridge the longsomnesse of Church service for preaching then surely the Doctors and Proctors and heads of houses in Oxford want devotion among whom no thing is more usuall in their Colledges then to abridge the prayers to go to S. Maries to the sermon 2. Againe this is such divinity as we never heard of to place all devotion in long prayer the Pharisees were Luc. 21. 47 Aug. de heres c. 57. Math. 6. 9. of this mynd and Enchits of old and the Monks and friers of late But our Saviour Christ belike measured devotion by some other rule who taught his disciples so short a prayer The humble publican said Luc. 11. 13 no more but this God bee mercifull to mee a sinner Platina writes of the Apostles that they did consecrare ad solam dominicam So Gregor lib. 7. epist 63. orationem he means they had no other set prayer then the Lords prayer VVhat shall we think they wanted devotion also Augustine writes of the religious men in Egipt dicuntur fraters in Egipto crebras quidem Epist 121. habere orationes sed eas tamen brovissimas raptim quodammodo iaculatas The Religious men in Egipt are sayd to haue frequent prayers but the same very short and as it were by sudden ejaculations This we speak Ast. 13. 15. On S. Michaels day the epist is Rev. 12. 7. there was a batell in heaven Michael c. as if this Michael fighing for the church were not Christ but an Angell p. 12. s 7. not to condemne long prayer when occasion serveth but to shew that even they that use shorter praiers may be devout 3. Beside all that we desire to be abridged is not prayer but a number of Scriptures unhandsomly shredded and pared from the rest many times neither fitly sorted as the lectures of the law and Prophets were nor truly applied to the present purpose 2. Obiect Some of these preachers spend almost an boure in senslesse and inconsequent prayer Answ 1. If devotion be measured by our bretherns rule then belyke those men be full of devotion for they pray long 2. If some spend the time in sencelesse and inconsequent prayer what doth this preiudice those faithfull and good teachers that spend it better 3. Obj. From this dislyke of all set and stinted frome of prayer c. Ibid. Ans Doe the Petitioners dislyke all set and stinted forme of prayer doe they Vntruths diuerse condemne the saying of the Lords prayer doe they refuse to vse it who told them so In the beginning of their booke they say wee maske vnder vnknowne names and yet now they can tell that we dislyke all set stinted form of prayer that some of vs omit the Lords prayer and some of vs refuse to vse it these be the strangest men wee haue heard of who though they know not a man nor his dwelling nor his country yet they can tell what prayers he vseth in his Church Nay they can tell his secret thoughts that though he vse the comunion book yet he disliketh all set and stinted kind of prayers But that our brethren would willingly blindfould themselues to traduce us they might haue well conceived by our words that wee dislike not all kind of set prayer because we desire not to haue the service removed but to haue it abridged VVherefore most noble King 1. seing preaching serveth most to the edification of the Church 2. Seing when both cannot be done the long prayer and the preaching it is Christian wisdom to do the better 3. Seeing the practise of both our Vniversities giues liberty this way 4. Seing nothing but mockes and untrue tales be opposed against it wee must renew our humble suite to your highnesse that the long and tedious service bee abridged where there bee preachers
ad verbum memoriter retenta prvnnntiant Till it appeare that the people understand that which is handled it must be opened with variety of phrase which they that repeat things word for word as they haue conned thē by hart cānot do Thus by such weak arguments as we haue seene the Confuters haue boulstered out as Mammets and men of straw the dumbe and Idoll Ministers VVee are right sorry that Oxford Doctors now under the Gospell should so much swerue in the iudgment of the truth from their predecessors in the time of Poperie who decreed much better concerning this mater then these men now write Presbyteris parochialibus districtè iniungimus c. we enioyne the presbyters of every parish to instruct the people commited to them with the word of God ne canes muti iudicentur Concil Oxoniens sub Stephan cum salubri latratu in caulis dominicis luporum spiritualium morsus non repellunt This Councell calleth them all dumbe dogges that do not instruct and preach unto their people and driue away by their wholesome doctrine the wolues VVherefore O most noble King 1. seing God refuseth them to be his ministers that The conclusion haue no knowledge 2. neither are such fit stewards over Gods house 3. they are infatuated salt 4. seing ignorāce is inexcusable in the people much more in the pastor 5. by the ignorāce of such faith decayeth 6. the destruction of many soules ensueth 7. seeing a Minister by S. Pauls description should bee apt to teach 8. and that it is a punishment sent of God to haue unskilfull shepheards 9. and all whom Christ sendeth he furnisheth with gifts 10. Seing by the canons and practise of the Church such unsufficient Ministers are condemned Seing nothing can be obiected in the contrary of any moment 1. Ob. that although there bee diverse gifts yet every pastor ought to haue them in some measure 2 Obj. neither were there any pastors in the Primitiue Church no preachers 3. neither is it a thing impossible to haue every where sufficient Pastors VVe are perswaded that your Christian Maiesty out of your Princely iudgment will in due time see the Church reformed in this point and therein follow the example of that noble Charles King of France who enacted thus providimus pro aedificatione omnium Ecclesiarum c. Wee haue provided for the edifying of all Churches that not onely in Citties but in all parishes the presbyters Synod Arelat sub Carolo caus 10 preach the word to the people that they may learne to liue well c. ARTIC 2. Of the removing or supplying of unlearned Ministers 1. Obiect HOW charitable are these men that would haue men removed out of the ministry c. Answ 1. How can the Petitioners bee counted uncharitable when they wish some charitable course to be taken for the reliefe of unsufficient Ministers Neither is it propounded simply but with a disjunction or else that they be forced to maintaine preachers according to the value of their livings c. And wee pray you how many are there to be now found that were entreated to take upon them the Ministry for want of sufficient men or that were in time past sufficient and are now decayed by age sicknesse c. are there not almost an hundred other unsufficient Ministers to one of this sort and they that are of that quality why should they not haue coadiutors as Augustine was to Valerius Eradius to Augustine Nazianzene to his Father Anysius to Acholius of Thessalonica Should the people perish for want of instruction because of their infirmitie But say it had been simply moved to haue all unsufficiēt ministers removed so they were provided for is this course uncharitable then count the Apostle uncharitable who willeth that he which laboureth not should 2. Thess 3. not eat or what think you of these ancient canons peregrini presbyteri si praedicatores sint veritatis suscipiantur sin minus ne necessaria subministrentur eis Can. apost 34. Episcopus vel presbyter c. si in pietate populum non erudit a communione segregetur si in ea socordia perseveraverit deponitur can 57. So was it also decreed in the Councell of Oxford si residere noluerint cum non nisi laborantibus panis dandus sit Ecclesijs per Episcopum spolientur Say also that they are uncharitable that thus decreed that unpreaching Ministers should not be releeved that they be put from the Communion and finally if they continue in theyr idlenes to bee deposed 2. Object How can they maintayne preachers that haue not where with to mayntayne themselues c. Answ Many vnsufficient and vnpreaching Ministers haue sufficient liuing and mayntenance and as many as wee thinke are of that sorte well provided for that wayes as are not inioying some an 100 markes some an 100. pound by the yeare some more and those might very well he charged to maintaine preachers the rest that are not able alone two or three should ioyne together to haue a preacher by course rather then the Churches shold be altogether unfurnished till better provision be made 3. Object How much better hath our Church deuised to supply the defects of some men c. by other meanes as by the frequent reading of scripture c. Answ Our brethren tell us of better supplies of these defects then by preachers To be otherwise supplied as by frequent reading of scripture by the forme of common prayer by the reading of homilies quarterly sermones for answere wherevnto wee say 1. if quarterly sermons make a good supply wee hope that weekely sermons euery Lords day afford a better how vnaduised then are our brethren to call the word seldome preached a better supply then the same diligently preached 2. Bishop Ridley is alledged to speake in commendation of the booke of common prayer neyther doe wee for the substance condemne it the times must bee considered wherin he wrote when the masse was restored in respect whereof our Leiturgy is much to be preferred His words further are these Howsoeuer in tyme past in certayn by matters and circumstances of religion your wisdome and my simplicity I grant hath a little iarred Fox Martyrol p. 1504. epist ad Hooper ex epist Rid ad Hooper Here the same Reverend Bishop giueth way to Bishop Hooper and modestly confesseth his too much stifnesse in mayntayning of some ceremonies But he was farre off from making the booke of common prayer a supply of preaching and therefore he is here very impertinently alledged 3. But what vnsauory words are these to say that the reading of homilies and of the booke of common prayer are ordinary and effectuall meanes to continue and increase the people in the true fayth 1. VVe had thought that as the word of God is the ordinary effectuall meanes to begette faith as the Apostle sheweth that faith commeth by hearing Rom 10 7. the word preached v. 14. So it had beene likewise
law especially enacted concerning An. 1 Eliz. cap. 12. the booke of Common praier onely punisheth such as doe not obserue it and use the rights and ceremonies therein prescribed it punisheth not such as refuse to subscribe thereunto so that the law requireth onely obedience in practise not subscription in iudgement to the booke 4. This may appeare in the equity of other lawes and statutes of this land as for the observation of lent and fasting daies and other such matters whereunto it requireth not subscription but onely execution and a faithfull subiect will be content to yeeld his observance and obedience unto many lawes whereto hee would be loth to giue his assent VVherefore seeing subscription to the booke is first against piety in that many things are there prescribed not warranted by the word 2. without any necessity seeing there is a consent in the substantiall points of faith 3. with great partiality in punishing more for ceremonies then other greater transgressions 4. against the utility of the Church in depriving the same of so many profitable men 5. preposterous enforcing by authority not perswading by argument 6. against charity in not sparing aged Ministers their wiues and children 7. contrary to the practise of the Church 8. equalizeth humane writings to Scriptures 9. disturbeth the peace of the Church 10. is against the law of the land A most happy service your Maiesty should doe unto Christ benefit to his Church contentment to your best disposed subiects to remoue this hard yoake and heavy burthen of subscription and doe herein as good Constantine did who when bils of complaint were brought unto him by the Bishops cast them into the fire and made a peace among them And as Pompey intercepting a packet of letters sent to Sertorius tending to sedition burned them And as Basilius the Emperour caused all the syngrapha and subscriptions which Photius had of the Ministers to be committed to the fire concil gener 8. Act. 8. Obiections 1. Obj. BVT it will bee objected that the most part of the parishes of this land haue subscribed already as the Bishops haue to shew in their bookes of subscription onely a few persons excepted Answ To this we haue answered before at large in the defence of the generall censure Art 3. And of the preface art 6. upon what grounds and reasons some were resolued in respect of the tyme to tolerate by subscribing that which simply they thought not fit to bee prescribed to the Church 2. Obiect This forcing of subscription hath made an vniformity in the Land and wrought great peace in the Church Answ 1. VVee haue shewed before that nothing hath bred greater variance and disturbance in the Church then this torture of subscription 2. It was such a peace as Hierome speaketh of which the Hierom. ad Theophil Patriarke of Hierusalem brought his Clergy to quod si pacem habere non potest cum fratre nisi cum subdito ostendit se non tam pacē capere quam sub occasione pacis vindictam If he cānot haue peace with his brother vnlesse he be his subject he desireth not so much peace as revenge vnder that colour And againe nihil grande est pacem voce praetendere opere destruere It is no great mater to pretend peace in word and ouerthrow it in deed so the urgers of subscription pretended peace but they intended it not but rather extinguished it of whō we say with Hieroms words Moneas illos pacē nō extorquere sed velle Tell them they should not extort peace but exhort vnto it 3. Object Wee know no subscription vrged not disagreeable to law Ans That the subscription vrged is not agreeable to law is shewed before arg 10 4. Object At Geneva they strictly tie all c. to the observatiō of their Church government c. Answ If the Church of Geneua vrge a But to nothing in controversie as our ceremonies and Discipline conformitie to that which they are able to warant by the word and haue a positiue lawe for the same that can bee no rule or president for such subscription and conformity which is not so warranted And if either they or any other Chur. shal impose subscription to that which is not grounded vpon the word wee neyther defend nor commend it Object 5. Not vrging a conformity in Church discipline is to set open the highe way to all disorder and confusion c. Answ Though it may be remembred that in the tyme of popery when they stood more vpon conformity in ceremonies then protestants doe there were 4 or 5 kinds of diverse seruices in the laud some following the vse of Sarum som of Bangor some of Lincolne others of Hereford orhers of Yorke yet we mislike not a conformity euen in externall matters But first let no thing bee vrged but that which may be warranted by the word then let our brethren call for an vniuersall conformity And wee could wish the same rule to bee kept which Gregory the 1. some time prescribed for England non pro locis res sed pro rebus loca amanda sunt ex singulis ergo quibuscunqe Ecclesijs c. Things must not be loued for the place but the place for the things therefore out of every Church chose such things as are godly religious right and these bound as it were in a bundle lay vp in English harts wee could wish likewise that for ceremonies wee followed the best reformed Churches The Defence of the third part Reasons and arguments against Plurality of Benefices 1. Arg. OVr Saviour Christ Describing a good shepheard in his owne persone sayth I am the good shephard and know myne owne and am knowen of mine Ioan. 10. 14. A good shepheard then must be conversant among his flocke as the preacher sayth Agnosce vultum pecoris tui Be deligent to know the state of they flock and take heed to the heards prov 27. 23. But so cannot they doe that haue many flockes Damasus herevpon well sayth si domini desideramus esse descipuli ipsius imitemur Damas epist 4. decret vestigia c. If wee desyre to bee the Lords disciples let vs walke in his steppes that it may bee sayd of vs I am a good she epheard and know myne owne and call them by name c. 2. Arg. A faithfull Pastor must not bee given to filthy lucre Titus 1. 7. but to haue two or mo benefices proceedeth of covetousnesse Nicen. 2. can 5. Clericus ab hoc deinceps tempore in duabus Ecclesijs non collocetur hoc enim est negotiationis turpis lucri proprium A Clergie man must not be placed in two churches for this savoureth of filthy lucre 3. Arg. S. Paul saith Let every man wherin he is called therein abide with God 1. Cor. 7. 24. But they which are called to one Church and after accept another remaine not in their first calling This reason is used by the same Councell against
time Christians began to Crosse themselues with the signe of the crosse but it was not yet crept into the sacraments as a learned writer hath well observed for in his booke de Corona Militis where he mentioneth other ceremonies that were used in baptisme as milke honey c. he makes no mention of the crosse And lib. de Baptis entreating professedly of this sacrament Tert. de bapt and the ceremonies of it he hath not one tittle of the crosse In Chrysostomes time Chrys hom quod Christus sit Deus the crosse was crept further as all superstition will winde up like Ivy In sacra mensa c. crux fulget In the holy Supper the crosse appeares in his glory but yet Aug lib. 1. confess c. 11. de symb ad Cateches l. 4. c. 10. it was not impressed in the foreheads of such as were baptised In Augustines time the Catechumeni were signed with the signe of the crosse before baptisme but no such signe was used when they came to be baptized and therefore unlesse better authority can be brought then wee know of or Popish Bellarmine either Bellar. lib. 2. imag c. 29. who hath raked all corners to helpe himselfe we thinke the crosse in baptisme will be faine to fetch his pedigree out of the Popes Masse booke if happily it be able to deduce it thence 2 Obj. We must needes haue some ceremonies in the administration of the Sacrament why then not the crosse Answ VVe grant that some ceremonies may be used but if all be used why then not creame oyle salt and spittle c. Lumb 4. dist 3. for the Papists make but ceremonies of those And therefore it doth not follow some ceremonies may be used therefore the crosse in baptisme may be used It is evident then that there must be a choyce VVell let us see what must be the rule The ceremonies that must be used must haue three conditions 1. They must be such as serue for comelinesse and order sake as the Apostle saith Let all things he done comely and in order 1. Cor. 14. 40. But the crosse in baptisme is not such for if it make a Decorum in the Sacrament then Christ and his Apostles and all the reformed Churches of Geneva Scotland France Helvetia Belgia Poland c. that use it not must cōmit an Indecorum which were absurd to affirme Thus Peter Pet. Mart. class 4. c. 9. Martyr disputes against the schoolemen who affirmed that the word and water Pet. Mar. clas 4. c. 9. were of the essence of baptisme but the rest that were added oyle c. did facere ad honestatem decorum Sacramenti make to the honesting and adorning of the Sacrament Admit this saith he then it will follow that Iohn and Christ and the Primitiue Church hath baptized indecently disorderedly c. Quia eorum baptismus istis omnibus carebat Because their baptisme wanted all these things 2. The Ceremonies must not be scandalous and offensiue especially to our 1. Cor. 10. 32. brethren and to Gods Church but the crosse is offensiue and scandalous both to other Churches that account it a prophanation Szedig loc comm p. 169. of baptisme and to godly and good men at home among our selues yea M. Calfeild saith against the Papists that to crosse with the finger is both an idle ceceremony and unlawfull to Calf in answ Pet. Mart. loc cit to the treatise of the crosse art 2 p. 49. 3. They must not be idle and needlesse ceremonies but to such onely as be needfull See the whole Senate of the Apostles conclude in their councell It seemed good to the holy Ghost and to us to Act. 15. 28. lay no burthen upon you praeter necessaria haec beside these necessary things but the crosse in baptisme is not necessarie either ad esse to the being or bene esse to the wel being of the Sacrament not ad esse the very papists confesse nor ad bene esse because the Sacrament may be well enough Lumb ut supra without it as the very booke confesseth in private baptisme where no crosse is used yet the minister is prescribed to say I certifie you that ye haue done well and according Common booke cap. of priuat bapt to due order c. though they haue not crossed VVherfore most Noble King 1. seing the crosse in baptisme is a departing from the plaine simple institution of our Saviour Christ 2. Seing it is thrust out of the other Sacrament to which it had as good right as to this 3. Seing it was idolatrously abused in popery hath no necessary use now 4. Seing it encroacheth upon the very substance of the Sacr. 5. Seing it is but a late device hatched by the Pope 6. seing it is not a ceremonie pertaining to the decencie of a Sacrament 7 seing it is scandalous and offensiue to many good Christians both preachers and people Lastly seing it is an idle and needlesse ceremonie and so not warranted either in genere or in specie either in generall or in speciall termes as all the true worship of God must be we most humbly beseech Deu. 4. 2. 5. 32. your highnesse in the loue you haue to preserue the Sacraments of the Lord Iesus in such puritie as he hath left them that you will doe as good K. Ezekiah did who cleansed the house of God and caried 2. Chr. 29. 16 out the filth of it into the brooke Cedron 2 Against Interrogatories in Baptisme 1. TO utter an untrueth in such a place in such a presence in such an action so serious cannot be but a great and greevous sin according to that thou hast not lied to men but to God But to say as the book prescribeth in the Act. 5. 4. Com. Book cap. of Bapt. name and behalfe of the infant that it beleeues al the articles of the faith that it desires to be baptized into the faith of Christ is a great untrueth because the little infant neither beleeueth nor desireth any such like thing Nay as Augustine saith Aug. Epist cap. 7. quando ijs Christiana gratia subvenitur vocibus quibus possunt motibus reluctantur they shew themselves unwilling to bee baptised Therefore to affirme this It cannot be but a great and greevous sin 2. That which giveth strength to errour and heresie in Christian wisdom ought to bee avoided according to that non pones scandalum coram caeco Thou shalt not put a stumbling-block before the blinde Leu. 19. 14. But to affirme that the child beleeveth all the articles of the Christian faith is to giue strength to their errour that thinke Rom. 10. 17 Aug. ep 57. children haue faith which indeed they haue not as both the Scripture sheweth and the Fathers Therefore in Christian discretion and wisdom this occasion of errour is to be avoided 3. If the Infant be to be baptized into
that wee doe more then precepts 〈◊〉 called works of supererogation whereby it is evident against the Protestants that there be such works Annot. in Luc. 10. sect 3. That the Ch. of Rome is the family of Iesus Hook lib. 3. p. 130. whence it wil follow that the pope is not Antichrist who cannot fit in the family of Christ So the Rhemists call it the Church and house of Christ confuted therein by our divines as D. Fulk Math. 16. sect 10. That the Sacraments are morall instruments Lib. 5. p. 128. p. 133. of salvation and in their place no lesse required then faith it selfe This differeth not far from that popish position that the sacraments giue and conferre grace Rhemist act 22. sect 1. That the Scriptures and nature ioyntly not Lib. 1. p. 8◠severally are compleate unto everlasting felicitie VVhence it followeth that the Scriptures severally by themselves are not compleate to salvation VVhat other thing is affirmd by the Rhemists saying the Scripture containeth not al necessary truth Heb. 9. s 2. That the Sacraments are no Sacraments without the serious meaning and intention of the Minister the like assertion B. Iewell confuteth against Harding calling it the very dungeon of uncertainty to stay upon the intention of a mortall man Reply art c 1. p. 34. Infants if they haue not baptisme howsoeuer c. the Church as much as in her lyeth ib. 5. p. 135. casteth away their soules So the Rhemists say no man can enter into life everlasting unlesse hee bee baptized of water and the Holy Ghost Annot Iohn 3. sect 2. This position By one Butler a Commissary of the necessity of baptisme that infants dying without it are damned hath been of late publickly taught with other positions of the like nature by an unsound dogmatist in North ampt on shire as we are enformed All these divers such like popish paradoxes haue been broached set a foote in publick writing and since the Authors death haue been again revived with whom we wish they had been buried and defended by publick writing to the great offence of sincere Protestants and the no small ioy of superstitious Papists of this sort and savouring of the same leauen are these such like doctrines that iustifying faith may be lost that it is not proper to the elect that a man cannot be sure of his salvation that a man hath free will to beleeve that Christ died not onely for the Elect. These and such like positions haue been publickly by some maintained both in pulpits and Scholes How then are not our brethren ashamed to call these false imputations and shamelesse suggestions 2. VVee charge not the Leiturgie with Popish opinions though we wish it discharged of some needlesse ceremonies and what a simple argument is this The book containeth no popish opinions Ergo none haue been taught in the Church or there is a book of articles of religiō agreed upō in thē an uniformity of doctrine in som things Ergo there is an uniformity of doctrine prescribed for all other points There are diverse hundred points of doctrine wherein Protestants and Papists dissent the fourth part of them is not conteyned in that booke VVe reverence and allow that book and wish that what is wanting may be added that an uniformity Vniformitie of dostrine of doctrine may be agreed upon for all other poynts of doctrine as is done for those already there expressed 3. VVee put not weapons into the adversaries hand to wound us which complaine of unsound teaching but they giue occasion advantage to them that depart frō the currāt doctrine of the Protestants and refine over the old Popish dregges VVherefore our brethrens words it bad been good that these men had been never able to write then to write thus to the scandale of Gods Church and his sacred truth might more truly haue been uttered against those that haue thus in their writing maintained corrupt popish doctrine then against them that haue profitably employed both their tongues and pennes against the common Adversarie How far now are our Brethren from the Spirit of Moyses who wished that all the people of God could prophecy And Numb 11. 28. our Saviour biddeth us to pray the Lord of the haruest to send forth labourers into his harvest But these wish that many Mat. 11. 38 profitable men had been never able to write VVe may say to them as Hierome to his adversary there are Papists among us Atheists Hier. ad Theophi advers Ioan. Hieros Familists c. VVhy do they not taxe them haue they a spite onely at us doe wee onely make a rent in the Church that communicate with the Church Nos soli qui Ecclesiae communicamus Ecclesiam scindere dicimur ARTIC 2. Of bowing at the name of Iesus Obiect REverence done at the name of Iesus is not superstition c. But an apparent token of devotion why doe they not find fault likewise with kneeling sighing weeping c. Answ 1 How followeth it wee may kneele sigh weep knock upon our brests hold up our hands to heaven in our prayers Ergo it is lawfull to bow at the name of Iesus seing for the one we haue warrant both by precepts and example of Scripture and so wee haue not for the other 2. In that the knee is bowed rather at the name of Iesus then of Christ or of God the Father and God the holy Ghost it is evident that this reverence is done to the name not to the divine Maiesty which equally in all these names is to be adored if then the sound of the name be adored it is superstition if the person it bringeth an inequality of the Godhead 3. As well may the name of Iesus be bowed unto when it is seene painted or written in the glasse windowes as when it is pronounced for why should not the sight thereof be as holy to the eye as the sound to the eare And indeed thus a certaine late Popish Synode perswaded to kneele down before an image because the people bow at the name of Iesus these are their words Nec maiori idololatriae periculo quam ad nomen Iesu genu flectitur quem enim vocula cursim auribus insinuat hunc eundē fidelibus oculis imago repraesentat 4. The petitioners therefore had good cause to moue that ministers be not contrary to their iudgement consciece wit hout warant of the word to teach their people for that place which is commonly alleadged Phil. 2. 10. God hath given him a name aboue all names that at the name of Iesus should every knee bow both of things in heaven things in earth c. can haue no such meaning 1. The Apostle speaketh not of the outward knee for the Angels haue no such knees which notwithstanding do bow at the name of Iesus as the Apostle saith let all the Angels Hebr. 1. 6. of God worship him And Ambrose saith