metriments and jests unanswered likewise wherewith they have pleasantly moved much laughter at our manner of serving God Such is their evil hap to play upon dull spirited men We are still perswaded that a bare denyal is answer sufficient to things which meer fancy objecteth and that the best Apology to words of scorn and petulancy is Isaac's Apology to his Brother Ismael the Apology which patience and silence maketh Our Answer therefore to their Reasons is no to their Scoffs nothing 31. When they object that our Book requireth nothing to be done which a Childe may not do as lawfully and as well as that man wherewith the Book conteneth it self Is it their meaning that the service of God ought to be a matter of great difficulty a Labour which requireth great learning and deep skill or elsē that the Book containing it should teach what men are fit to attend upon it and forbid either men unlearned or Children to be admitted thereunto In setting down the form of common-Common-Prayer there was no need that the Book should mention either the learning of a fit or the unfitness of an ignorant Minister more than that he which describeth the manner how to pitch a field should speak of moderation and sobriety in diet And concerning the duty it self although the hardness thereof be not such as needeth much Art yet surely they seem to be very farr carried besides themselves to whom the dignity of Publick Prayer doth not discover somewhat more fitness in men of gravity and ripe discretion than in children of ten years of age for the decent discharge and performance of that Office It cannot be that they who speak thus should thus judge At the board and in private it very well becommeth Children's innocency to pray and their Elders to say Amen Which being a part of their vertuous education serveth greatly both to nourish in them the fear of God and to put us in continual remembrance of that powerful grace which openeth the mouths of Infants to sound his praise But Publick Prayer the service of God in the solemn Assembly of Saints is a work though easie yet withal so weighty and of such respect that the great facility thereof is but a slender argument to prove it may be as well and as lawfully committed to Children as to men of years howsoever their ability of learning be but only to do that in decent order wherewith the Book contenteth it self The Book requireth but orderly reading As in truth what should any Prescript form of Prayer framed to the Minister's hand require but only so to be read as behoveth We know that there are in the world certain voluntary Over-seers of all Books whose censure in this respect would fall as sharp on us as it hath done on many others if delivering but a form of Prayer we should either express or include an thing more than doth properly concern Prayer The Ministers greatness or meanness of knowledge to do other things his aptness or insufficiency otherwise than by reading to instruct the flock standeth in this place as a Stranger with whom our form of Common-Prayer hath nothing to do Wherein their exception against easiness as if that did nourish Ignorance proceedeth altogether out of a needless jealousie I have often heard it inquired of by many how it might be brought to pass that the Church should every where have able Preachers to instruct the People what impediments there are to hinder it and which were the speediest way to remove them In which consultation the multitude of Parishes the paucity of Schools the manifold discouragements which are offered unto mens inclinations that way the penury of the Ecclesiastical estate the irrecoverable loss of so many Livings of principal value clean taken away from the Church long sithence by being appropriated the daily bruises that Spiritual promotions use to take by often falling the want of somewhat in certain Statutes which concern the state of the Church the too great facility of many Bishops the stony hardness of too many Patrons hearts not touched with any feeling in this case such things oftentimes are debated and much thought upon by them that enter into any discourse concerning any defect of knowledge in the Clergy But whosoever be found guilty the Communion Book hath surely deserved least to be called in question for this fault If all the Clergie were as learned as themselves are that most complain of ignorance in others yet our Book of Prayer might remain the same and remaining the same it is I see not how it can be a lett unto any man's skill in Preaching Which thing we acknowledge to be God's good gift howbeit no such necessarie element that every act of Religion should he thought imperfect and lame wherein there is not somewhat exacted that none can discharge but an able Preacher 32. Two faults there are which our Lord and Saviour himself especially reproved in Prayer the one when ostentation did cause it to be open the other when superstition made it long As therefore Prayers the one way are faulty not whensoever they be openly made but when Hypocrisie is the cause of open Praying so the length of Prayer is likewise a fault howbeit not simply but where errour and superstition causeth more than convenient repetition or continuation of speech to be used It is not as some do imagine saith Saint Augustine that long Praying is that fault of much speaking in Prayer which our Saviour did reprove for then would not he himself in Prayer have continued whole nights Use in Prayer no vain superfluity of words as the Heathens doe for they imagine that their much speaking will cause them to be heard whereas in truth the thing which God doth regard is how vertuous their mindes are and not how copious their tongues in Prayer how well they think and not how long they talk who come to present their Supplications before him Notwithstanding for as much as in Publick Prayer we are not only to consider what is needful in respect of God but there is also in men that which we must regard we somewhat the rather incline to length lest over-quick dispatch of a Duty so important should give the World occasion to deem that the thing it self is but little accounted of wherein but little time is bestowed Length thereof is a thing which the gravity and weight of such actions doth require Beside this benefit also it hath that they whom earnest letts and impediments do often hinder from being Partakers of the whole have yet through the length of Divine Service opportunity sleft them at the least for access unto some reasonable part thereof Again it should be considered how it doth come to pass that we are so long For if that very Service of God in the Jewish Synagogues which our Lord did approve and sanctifie with the presence of his own Person had so large portions of the Law and the Prophets together with
care for the well bestowing of time account waste As for unpleasantness of sound if it happen the good of Mens souls doth either deceive our ears that we note it not or arm them with patience to endure it We are not so nice as to cast away a sharp Knife because the edge of it may sometimes grate And such subtile opinions as few but Utopians are likely to fall into we in this climate do not greatly fear 37. The complaint which they make about Psalms and Hymns might as well be over-past without any answer as it is without any cause brought forth But our desire is to content them if it may be and to yield them a just reason even of the least things wherein undeservedly they have but as much as dreamed or suspected that we do amiss They seem sometimes so to speak as if greatly offended them that such Hymns and Psalms as are Scripture should in Common Prayer be otherwise used then the rest of the Scripture is wont sometime displeased they are at the artificial Musick which we adde unto Psalms of this kinde or of any other nature else sometime the plainest and the most intelligible rehearsal of them yet they savor not because it is done by Interlocution and with a mutual return of Sentences from side to side They are not ignorant what difference there is between other parts of Scripture and Psalms The choice and flower of all things profitable in other Books the Psalms do both more briefly contain and more movingly also express by reason of that Poetical Form wherewith they are written The Ancients when they speak of the Book of Psalms use to fall into large Discourses shewing how this part above the rest doth of purpose set forth and celebrate all the considerations and operations which belong to God it magnifieth the holy Meditations and Actions of Divine Men it is of things heavenly an Universal Declaration working in them whose hearts God inspireth with the due consideration thereof an habit or disposition of minde whereby they are made fit Vessels both for receipt and for delivery of whatsoever spiritual perfection What is there necessary for man to know which the Psalms are not able to teach They are to beginners an easie and familiar Introduction a mighty Augmentation of all Vertue and Knowledge in such as are entred before a strong confirmation to the most perfect amongst others Heroical Magnanimity exquisite Justice gave Moderation exact Wisdom Repentance unfeigned unwearied Patience the Mysteries of God the Sufferings of Christ the Terrors of Wrath the Comforts of Grace the Works of Providence over this World and the promised Joys of that World which is to come all good necessarily to be either known or done or had this one Celestial Fountain yieldeth Let there be any grief or disease incident nuto the Soul of Man any wound or sickness named for which there is not in this Treasure-house a present comfortable remedy at all times ready to be found Hereof it is that we covet to make the Psalms especially familiar unto all This is the very cause why we iterate the Psalms oftner then any other part of Scripture besides the cause wherefore we inure the people together with their Minister and not the Minister alone to read them as other parts of Scripture he doth 38. Touching Musical Harmony whether by Instrument or by Voice it being but of high and low in sounds a due proportionable disposition such notwithstanding is the force thereof and so pleasing effects it hath in that very part of man which is most Divine that some have been thereby induced to think that the Soul it self by Nature is or hath in it Harmony A thing which delighteth all Ages and beseemeth all States a thing as seasonable in grief as in joy as decent being added unto actions of greatest weight and solemnity as being used when men most sequester themselves from action The reason hereof is an admirable faculty which Musick hath to express and represents to the minde more inwardly then any other sensible mean the very standing rising and falling the very steps and inflections every way the turns and varieties of all Passions whereunto the minde is subject yea so to imitate them that whether it resemble unto us the same state wherein our mindes already are or a clean contrary we are not more contentedly by the one confirmed then changed and led away by the other In Harmony the very Image and Character even of Vertue and Vice is perceived the minde delighted with their Resemblances and brought by having them often iterated into a love of the things themselves For which cause there is nothing more contagious and pestilent then some kindes of Harmony then some nothing more strong and potent unto good And that there is such a difference of one kinde from another we need no proof but our own experience in as much as we are at the hearing of some more inclined unto sorrow and heaviness of some more mollified and softned in minde one kinde apter to stay and settle us another to move and stir our affections There is that draweth to a marvelous grave and sober mediocrity there is also that carrieth as it were into extasies filling the minde with an heavenly joy and for the time in a manner severing it from the body So that although we lay altogether aside the consideration of Ditty or Matter the very Harmony of sounds being framed in due sort and carried from the Ear to the Spiritual faculties of our Souls is by a Native Puissance and Efficacy greatly available to bring to a perfect temper whatsoever is there troubled apt as well to quicken the spirits as to allay that which is too eager sovereign against melancholly and despair forcible to draw forth tears of devotion if the minde be such as can yield them able both to move and to moderate all affections The Prophet David having therefore singular knowledge not in Poetry alone but in Musick also judged them both to be things most necessary for the House of God left behinde him to that purpose a number of divinely indited Poems and was farther the Author of adding unto Poetry melody a publick Prayer melody both Vocal and Instrumental for the raising up of Mens hearts and the sweetning of their affections towards God In which consideration the Church of Christ doth likewise at this present day retain it as an ornament to Gods service and an help to our own devotion They which under pretence of the Law Ceremonial abrogated require the abrogation of Instrumental Musick approving nevertheless the use of Vocal melody to remain must shew some reason wherefore the one should be thought a Legal Ceremony and not the other In Church Musick curiosity and oftentation of Art wanton or light or unsuitable harmony such as onely pleaseth the ear and doth not naturally serve to the very kinde and degree of those impressions which the matter
endless thanks must have their beginning in a state which bringeth the full and final satisfaction of all such perpetual desires Again because our common necessities and the lack which we all have as well of ghostly as of earthly favors is in each kinde so easily known but the gifts of God according to those degrees and times which he in his secrets wisdom seeth meet are so diversly bestowed that it seldom appeareth what all receive what all stand in need of it seldom lieth hid we are not to marvel though the Church do oftner concur in suits then in thanks unto God for particular benefits Nevertheless lest God should be any way unglorified the greatest part of our daily Service they know consisteth according to the â— Blessed Apostles own precise rule in much variety of Psalms and Hymns for no other purpose but onely that out of so plentiful a treasure there might be for every mans heart no chuse out his own Sacrifice and to offer unto God by particular secret instinct what fitteth best the often occasions which any several either Party or Congregation may seem to have They that would clean take from us therefore the daily use of the very best means we have to magnifie and praise the Name of Almighty God for his rich Blessings they that complain of out reading and singing so many Psalms for so good an end they I say that finde fault with our store should of all men be least willing to reprove our scarcity of Thanksgivings But because peradventure they see it is not either generally fit or possible that Churches should frame Thanksgivings answerable to each Petition they shorten somewhat the reins of their censure there are no forms of Thanksgiving they say for release of those common calamities from which we have Petitions to be delivered There are Prayers set forth to be said in the common calamities and Universal scourges of the Realm as Plague Famine c. And indeed so it ought to be by the Word of God But as such Prayers are needful whereby we beg release from our Distresses so there ought to be as necessary Prayers of Thanksgiving when we have received those things at the Lords hand which we asked in our Prayers As oft therefore as any Publick or Universal scourge is removed as oft as we are delivered from those either imminent or present Calamities against the storm and tempest whereof we all instantly craved favor from above let it be a Question what we should render unto God for his Blessings universally sensibly and extraordinarily bestowed A Prayer of three or four lines inserted into some part of our Church Liturgy No we are not perswaded that when God doth in trouble injoyn us the duty of Invocation and promise us the benefit of Deliverance and profess That the thing he expecteth after at our hands is to glorifie him as our mighty and onely Saviour the Church can discharge in manner convenient a work of so great importance by fore-ordaining some short Collect wherein briefly to mention thanks Our custom therefore whensoever so great occasions are incident is by Publick Authority to appoint throughout all Churches set and solemn Forms as well of Supplication as of Thanksgiving the preparations and intended Complements whereof may stir up the mindes of men in much more effectual sort then if onely there should be added to the Book of Prayer that which they require But we err in thinking that they require any such matter For albeit their words to our understanding be very plain that in our Book there are Prayers set forth to be said when common calamities are felt as Plague Famine and such like Again that indeed so it ought to be by the Word of God That likewise there ought to be as necessary Prayers of Thanksgiving when we have received those things Finally that the want of such Forms of Thanksgiving for the release from those common calamities from which we have Petitions to be delivered is the default of the Book of Common Prayer Yet all this they mean but only by way of supposition if express Prayers against so many Earthly miseries were convenient that then indeed as many express and particular Thanksgivings should be likewise necessary Seeing therefore we know that they hold the one superfluous they would not have it so understood as though their mindes were that any such addition to the Book is needful whatsoever they say for Arguments sake concerning this pretented defect The truth is they wave in and out no way sufficiently grounded no way resolved what to think speak or write more then onely that because they have taken it upon them they must no remedy now be opposite 44. The last supposed fault concerneth some few things the very matter whereof is thought to be much amiss In a Song of Praise to our Lord Jesus Christ we have these words When thou hadst overcome the sharpness of death thoâ— didst open the Kingdom of Heaven to all Believers Which maketh some shew of giving countenance to their Error who think that the faithful which departed this life before the coming of Christ were never till then made partakers of joy but remained all in that place which they term the Lake of the Fathers In our Liturgy request is made that we may be preserved from sudden death This seemeth frivolous because the godly should always be prepared to die Request is made that God would give those things which we for our unworthiness dare not ask This they say carrieth with it the note of Popish servile fear and savoreth not of that confidence and reverent familiarity that the children of God have through Christ with their Heavenly Father Request is made that we may evermore be defended from all adversity For this there is no promise in Scripture and therefore it is no Prayer of Faith or of the which we can assure our selves that we shall obtain it Finally Request is made That God would have mercy upon all men This is impossible because some are the Vessels of Wrath to whom God will never extend his Mercy 45. As Christ hath purchased that Heavenly Kingdom the last perfection whereof is Glory in the life to come Grace in this life a preparation thereunto so the same he hath opened to the World in such sort that whereas none can possibly without him attain salvation by him all that believe are saved Now whatsoever he did or suffered the end thereof was to open the doors of the Kingdom of Heaven which our iniquities had shut up But because by ascending after that the sharpness of death was overcome he took the very local possession of glory and that to the use of all that are his even as himself before had witnessed I go to prepare a place for you And again Whom thou hast given me O Father I will that where I am they be also with me that my glory which thou hast given me they may
of Religion before admission of degrees to Learning or to any Ecclesiastical Living the custom of reading the same Articles and of approving them in publick Assemblies wheresoever men have Benefices with Cure of Souls the order of testifying under their hands allowance of the Book of common-Common-Prayer and the Book of ordaining Ministers finally the Discipline and moderate severity which is used either in other wise correcting or silencing them that trouble and disturb the Church with Doctrines which tend unto Innovation it being better that the Church should want altogether the benefit of such mens labours than endure the mischief of their inconformity to good Laws in which case if any repine at the course and proceedings of Justice they must learn to content themselves with the answer of M. Curius which had sometime occasion to cutt off one from the Body of the Common-wealth in whose behalf because it might have been pleaded that the party was a man serviceable he therefore began his judicial sentence with this preamble Non esse open Reip. to cive qui parers nescires The Common-wealth needeth men of quality yet never those men which have not learned how to obey But the wayes which the Church of England hath taken to provide that they who are Teachers of others may do it soundly that the Purity and Unity as well of antient Discipline as Doctrine may be upheld that avoiding singularities we may all glorifie God with one heart and one tongue they of all men do least approve that do most urge the Apostle's Rule and Canon For which cause they alledge it not so much to that purpose as to prove that unpreaching Ministers for so they term them can have no true nor lawful calling in the Church of God Sainst Augustine hath said of the will of man that simply to will proceedeth from Nature but our well-willing is from Grace We say as much of the Minister of God publickly to teach and instruct the Church is necessary in every Ecclesiastical Minister but ability to teach by Sermons is a Grace which God doth bestow on them whom he maketh sufficient for the commendable discharge of their duty That therefore wherein a Minister differeth from other Christian men is not as some have childishly imagined the sound-preaching of the Word of God but as they are lawfully and truly Governours to whom authority of Regiment is given in the Common-wealth according to the order which Polity hath set so Canonical Ordination in the Church of Christ is that which maketh a lawful Minister as touching the validity of any Act which appertaineth to that Vocation The cause why Saint Paul willed Timothy not to be over-hasty in ordaining Ministers was as we very well may conjecture because imposition of hands doth consecrate and make them Ministers whether they have gifts and qualities fit for the laudable discharge of their Duties or no. If want of Learning and skill to preach did frustrate their Vocation Ministers ordained before they be grown unto that maturity should receive new Ordination whensoever it chanceth that study and industry doth make them afterwards more able to perform the Office than which what conceit can be more absurd Was not Saint Augustine himself contented to admit an Assistant in his own Church a man of small Erudition considering that what he wanted in knowledge was supplyed by those vertues which made his life a better Orator than more Learning could make others whose conversation was less Holy Were the Priests fithence Moses all able and sufficient men learnedly to interpret the Law of God Or was it ever imagined that this defect should frustrate what they executed and deprive them of right unto any thing they claimed by vertue of their Priesthood Surely as in Magistrates the want of those Gifts which their Office neâ—deth is cause of just imputation of blame in them that wittingly chuse unsufficient and unfit men when they might do otherwise and yet therefore is not their choyce void nor every action of Magistracy frustrate in that respect So whether it were of necessity or even of very carelesnesse that men unable to Preach should be taken in Pastours rooms nevertheless it seemeth to be an errour in them which think that the lack of any such perfection defeateth utterly their Calling To wish that all men were so qualified as their Places and Dignities require to hate all sinister and corrupt dealings which hereunto are any lett to covet speedy redress of those things whatsoever whereby the Church sustaineth detriment these good and vertuous desires cannot offend any but ungodly mindes Notwithstanding some in the true vehemency and others under the fair pretence of these desires have adventured that which is strange that which is violent and unjust There are which in confidence of their general allegations concerning the knowledge the Residence and the single Livings of Ministers presume not onely to annihilate the solemn Ordinations of such as the Church must of force admit but also to urge a kinde of universal proscription against them to set down Articles to draw Commissions and almost to name themselves of the Quorum for inquiry into mens estates and dealings whom at their pleasure they would deprive and make obnoxious to what punishment themselves list and that not for any violation of Laws either Spiritual or Civil but because men have trusted the Laws too farr because they have held and enjoyed the liberty which Law granteth because they had not the wit to conceive as these men do that Laws were made to intrap the simple by permitting those things in shew and appearance which indeed should never take effect for as much as they were but granted with a secret condition to be put in practice If they should be profitable and agreeable with the Word of God which condition failing in all Ministers that cannot Preach in all that are absent from their Livings and in all that have divers Livings for so it must be presumed though never as yet proved therefore as men which have broken the Law of God and Nature they are depriveable at all hours Is this the Justice of that Discipline whereunto all Christian Churches must stoop and sabmit themselves Is this the equity wherewith they labour to reform the World I will no way diminish the force of those Arguments whereupon they ground But if it please them to behold the visage of these Collections in another Glass there are Civil as well as Ecclesiastical Unsufficiencies Non residences and Pluralitiesâ— yea the reasons which Light of Nature hath ministred against both are of such affinity that much less they cannot inforce in the one than in the other When they that bear great Offices be Persons of mean worth the contempt whereinto their authority groweth weakneth the sinews of the whole State Notwithstanding where many Governours are needful and they not many whom their quality cannot commend the penury of worthier must needs make the meaner
Deut. 31. 13. a De Eccles. Offic l. 1. c. 10. b Psal. 1. 2. c Psal. 119. 16. d Aug. in Ps. â—6 e Cyprian 1. 2. Epist. 5. Lector personat verba sublimia Evangelium Christi 1. g's a frottibus conspieitur cum giudio fraternitatis auditur f Psal. 119. 33 35. T. C. l. 2. p. 383. 384 392. Acts. â— 31. Apoc. 1 3. T. C. l. 2. p. 353. p. 373. Pag. 364. 375. 382 383 384. Pag. 392. Pag. 364. a Ecclus 51. 26.27 Matth. 12. â—â— b 1 Tim. 1. 3. Rom. 14. 1. 1 Thes. 3. 10. c Matth. 5. 6. d Phil. 1. 6. 1 Pet. 5. 10. Matth. 3. 9. e 1 Thes. 4. 18. Pet. 10. â—4 Jude vers 20. 1 Per. 4. 10. f Luke 11. 31. T. C. l. 2. p. 381. T. C. l. 2. p. 372. a T. C. l. 2. p. 38. b Complaint of the Comminâ—â—â— c Dr. Somâ—â— Painter p. 21 d T. C. lib. 2. pag. 335. Of Prayer a Ose. 14. 3. b Revel 5. 8. c Acts. 10. 4. Rom. 1. 9. 1 Thes. 5. 17. Luke 18. 1. 1 Sam. 12. 23. Dan. 9. 20. Acts 10. 13. Of Publick Prayer Psal. 55. 18. Dan. 9. 3. Acts 10. 9. Matth. 18. 20. 2 Cor. 1. 11. Jonah 4. 11. Apolog. 1. 39. Ambros. l. de Poen Multi minimi dum congregantur unanimes sunt magni multorum preces impossibilest contemni Psal. 12. ◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil. Epist. â—â— Psal. 26. 12. 34. 18. Ps. 30 4. 96. 5. Psal. 27. 4. 42. 4. 84. 1. Of the form of Common-Prayer Matth. 6. 5 6. Mat. 21. 13. Chrys. Hom. 14. ad Hebra 24. in Act. 1 Cor. 11. 10. Psal. 96. 6. Power and Beauty are in his Sanctuary Ad domos sletim Dominicas currimus corpora humisternimus mixtis cum sletu gaudija supplicamus Salvia de Prov. l. 7. Num. 6. 23. 2 Chron. 30 27. Col. l. â—â—â—â— 3. de Epi. Cler. 43 44. saepe 1. Tim. 2. 8. John 9. 31. Jer. 11. 11. Ezech. 8. 18. Psal. 132. 9. 2 Chron. 6. 20. Joel 2. 17. 2 Chron. 29. 30. Of them which like not to have any set form of Common Prayer Num. 6. 23. a Mat. 25. 30. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 having sung the Psalmes which were unto at that Feast those Psalms which the Jews call the great Hallelujah beginning at the 113 and contiâ—â—â—â—ing to the â—a l. of the ll8 Sâ—e Paul Barâ—â—â—s in Ps. 112 â—â—â—â—â—â—â— and 〈…〉 de 〈…〉 1 Cor. 14. 15. Ephâ—s 5. 19. Of them who allowing a set form Prayer yâ—t allow â—erâ—â—â— a T. C. l. 1. p. â—31 afterwards p. 135. Whereas â—â— Doâ—â—er â—â—â—â—meth that theâ—e can â—e nothing shewed in the whole Book which is not agreeable unto the Word of God I am very â—â—â—â—h c. Notwithstanding my duty of defening the Truth and Love which I have first towards God and then towards my Countrey const 〈…〉 anâ— be inâ—tâ—uâ—â— proâ—eâ—â—â— speak a few words more particularly of the form of Prayer that when the blemishes thereof do appear it may please the Queens Majesty and her Honourable Council with â—hoâ—c of the Parliamâ—nt c. The form of our Liturgy too near the Papists too far different from that of or her reformed Churches as they pretend T. C. l. 1. p. 135. A Boâ—k of the form of Common Prayer tendered to the Parliament p. 46. Pag. 22. Pag. 24. Aâ—te beâ—enging to the Service of God T. C. l. 1 p. â—1 We think the Surplice especially unmeet for a Minister of the Gosp. â— to â—ear p. 75. â—â— is easily seen by Solomo n Eccles. 8. 9. thâ—â— to wear a white Garment was highly esteemed in the Eâ—st parts and was ordinary to those that were in any elimination as black with us and therefore was no several Apparel for the Ministers to execute their Ministry in â— Hierom in 44. Ezech. Pâ—iero Adver Pelag. l. 1. c. 9. T. C. l. 1. p. 77. Be a White Garment is meant a comely Apparel and not slovenly Chrysost. â—â— popul Antioch â—om 5. Serm. 60. T. C. l. 1. p. 75. It is true Chrysostom maketh mention of a White Garment but not in commendation of it but rather to the contrary for he sheweth that the dignity of their Ministery was in taking hâ—d that none unmeet were admitted to the Lords Supper not in going about the Church with a White Garment Eccles. 45. 7. T. C. l. 1. p. â—9 71. 75. 7â— T. C. l. 2 p 403. Lâ— p. â—3 â—6 l. â— p. 403. Lib. 1. p. 76. Page 81. Page 78. Esay 30. 12. a Exod. 18. 2. b Exod. 39.27 c Psal. 149 2. Apoc. 13.9 Mar. 16. 5. T C. l. 1. p. 7â— 1. 2. p 250. Index l 3 c 8. l. 3 p. 262 263. Lib. 3. p. 263. Page 263. Basil. Asect â—â—â—pent 2. l inâ—er 47. Of gesture in praying and of different places chosen to that purpose T C. l. 1 p. 134. T. C. l. 1. p. 203. Mark 12. 6. T C l. 3 p. 215. T. C. l. 1. p â—4 T. C. l 1. p 134. â— 3. p. 137. Acts 1. 13. T. C. l. 1. p. 134. l. 3 p. 137. Easiness of Praying alter our form T.C.l. 1. p. 133. l. 3 p. 184. Another fault in the whole Service or Liturgy of England is for that it maintaineth an unpreaching Ministry in requiring nothing to be done by the Minister which a Child of ten years old cannot do as well and as lawfully as that man wherewith the Book contenteth it self The length of our Service T C l. 1 p. 133. l. 3. p. 184. Aug. Ep. 121. Luke 6. 12. 1 Tim. 2. 1. T. C. l. 1. p. 184. Neh. 8. 3. Acts 20. 9. Instead of such Prayers at the Prâ—mitive Churches have used and those that be reformed now use we have they say divers short cuts or shreddings rather wishes than Prayers T. C. l. 1. p. 138. l. 3. p. 210 211. Lessons intermingled with our Prayers * We have no such forms in Scripture as that we should pray in two or three lines and then after having read a while some other thing come and pray as much more and so the 20. or the 30. time with pauses between If a man should come to a Prince and having very many things to demand after he had demanded one thing would stay a long time and then demand another and so the third the Prince might well think that either he came to aske before he knew what he had need of or that he had forgotten some piece of his Suit or that he were distracted in his understanding or some other like cause of the disorder of his Supplication T. C. l. 1. p. 138. This kinde of reason the Propher in the matter of Sacrifices doth use T. C. 1. 3. p. 210. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Rhet. lib. 1. cap. 9. Mal. 1. 2. 14. The number of our Prayers for earthly things and our oft rehearsing of the Lords Prayer I can make no Geometrical and exact
debere dicimus Quod ad rituales ecclesiasticas attinet ordinis aedificationis Ecclesiarum in his semper habendâ— ratio est inutiles autem noxias nempe ineptas supersticiosas Patronis suis relinquamus Goulart Genevens Annot. in Epist. Cypr. 74. d T.C.l. â— pa 71. They should nor have been to hold as to have brought it into the holy Sacrament of Baptism and so â—ingle the Ceremonies and inventions of Menâ— with the Sacraments and institutions of God T.C. lib 1. pag. 170. The profitable signification of the Cross maketh the thing a great deal worse and bringeth In a new word â—neu the Church whereas there ought to â—e no Doctor liâ—ard in the Church but onely our Saviour Christ For al hough tâ— be the Word of God that we should â—â— be ashamed of the Cross of Christ yet is it not the Word of God that we should be kept in remembrance of that by â—â—â—n lines drawn across one over another in the Childes Forehead * Luk. 7. 44 a T. C. lib. â— pag. 170. It is known to all that have real the Ecclesiâ—ssical sieries That the Heathen did â—â—â—â—â— in Christians in â—â—â—â—s all in reproach Thuâ— the God which â—ry believed on was hanged upon a Cross. And they thought goâ—d to râ—th that they were not ashamed therefore of the Sun of God by the often using of the Sign of the Crist. Which carefulness and goul minde to keep amongst them an open Proseâ—â—â—n of Christ crucified althrough it be to be commended yet is not this means so And they might otherwise have kept it and with less danger then by this use of crossing And as it was brought in upon no good ground so the Lord left a mark of his curse of it and whereby It might be perceived to câ—mour of the Forat of Men Brain is that it began forthwith while it was yet in the Swalling Ciours to be superstiâ—iuosly abused The Christians had such a Superstition in it that they would do nothing without Crossing But if it were gramed that upon this consideration which I have before mentioned the ancient Christians did well yet it followeth not that we should to do For we live not amongst those Nation which do cast us in the â—â—th or reproach us with die Cross of Christ. Now that we live amongst Papist that do not concern the Cros of Christ but which esteem more of the Word in Cross thru of the tene â—as wâ—â—â— is his sufferings we ough now to do clean conâ—â—riwile to thrill christians and abolish aâ—l use of that Cross to For contrary theasâ—â— must have contrary remedie If therefore thâ—o'd t Christians to deliver the Cross of Christ sunt now 〈…〉 all senue the Cross the Christians now to take away the superstitions estimation of it ought to take away â—e use of it b Epheâ— 5. 12. Rom. 6. 21 c Sen. Epist. 1â— lib. 1. d Tâ—â—oin 〈…〉 e Frons honinies cristitiae Islortatis Clementia severitatis index est Plin. lib. 21. Ez. k9 4. Apoc. 7. 3. â— p 4. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist Eth. 4 c.9 a Caro signatur uâ— c anima muniatur Tertul de Resur Car. Cypr. Epist 56. â—d Thimâ—â—â—â—â— Cypr. de Laps Erant enim supplices corona li. Tetilib de Coreâ—il In the service of â—loâ— the Donors of their Temples the Sacrifices the Alâ—â—â— the Priests and the Suppliants that wore present were Garlands a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist â— her I. 1 cap. 6. b Oziar Rex leprae varielate in fronte macularuâ— est co porie corporis norarus est nso Domino ubi sigâ—â—â—cur qui Dominâ— prometentur Cypr. de unit Eccles Cap. 16. c Ginlart Am not in Cypr. lib. ad Demerr cap. 19. Quamvis veteres Christiani externo signo cruds un sumi lil â—amen suit sinc superstitione c ductrias de Christi merito ab crâ—â—e qui postea lâ—â—â—epsie pios servant immunes d Idem An. not in Cypr. Epist. 57. 67. Dist. 6.3 cap. Quid. â—izon lib 17. cap. 15. The. pag. 3. q. 25. art 3. Resp. ad Tert. a Ioseph Antiq lib. 17. cap. 8. lib. 18. cap. 3. de Bell. lib. 2. cap. 8. b Their Eagles their Ensigns and the Images of their Princes they carried with them in all their Armies and had always a kinde of Chappel wherein they places and adored them is their gods â—â— l. 40. Heredian lib. 4. c Matth. 22.20 d 2 Chro. 4. 3. e Exod. â—2 â— f 2 Chro. 34 7. g Josh. 22. 10. 1 King 11. 1â— 2 King 13. 13. 2 King 18 3,6 12. 2. 2 King 23. 7. Of Confirmation after Baptism * Caro manus Impositione adumbeatur â—t anima Spiritu illumineâ—ur Tertul de Reser Caâ— Gen. 48. 14. 2 King 5. 11. Num. 27. 18. Matth. 9. 18. Mark 5. 23. 8. 12. Matth. 19.13 Mark 10. 14. Luk. 18. 15. Mark 16.17 Aâ—â— 1â— â— Act 8 17 18. 〈…〉 August de â— er â—K â—â— cap. 15. Tertul. de Baptis Cypr. Epist. 2. ad Donat. c. â— Euseb Emis Ser. de Vents Aug. de Trin. liâ— 15 cap. 26. lâ—â—â— 6. 3. Acts 8. 12 15. Ier. Advers â—ucif cap. 4. Cypr. Epist. 73. ad Iubajenum Heb. 6. 3. Psal. 31. 10 11 12. * T C. lib. 1. pag. 1â—1 Tell me why there should be any such Confirmation in the Church being brought in by the seigned Decretal Epistles of the Popes this is â—eâ—â—acted by the same T.C. lib. 3. pag. 232 That it is ancienter then the seigned Decretal Epistles I yield unto and no one tittle thereof being once found in the Scripture and seeing that it hath been so horribly abused and not necessary why ought it â—â—â— to be utterly abolished And thirdly this Confirmation hath many dangerous points in it The first step of Popery in this Confirmation is the Laying on of Hands upon the Head of the Childe whereby the opinion of it that it is a Sacrament is confirmed especially when as the Prayer doth say That it is done according to the example of the Apostles which is a manifest unwâ—tâ— and taken indeed from the Popish Confirmation The second is for that the Bishop as he is called must be the onely minister of it whereby the Popish opinion which esteemeth it above Baptism is confirmed For whilest Baptism may be ministred of the Minister and not Confirmation but onely of the Bishop there is great cause of suspition given to think that Baptism is not so precious a thing as Confirmation seeing this was one of the principal reasons whereby that wicked opinion was established in Popery I do not here speak of the inconvenience that men are constrained with charges to bring their children oftentimes half a score miles for that which if it were needful might be as well done at home in their own Parishes The third is for that the Book saith a cause of using Confirmation is Therby imposition of Hands and Prayer the Children may receive strength and
been stronger then your modest resolutions against it And I am thus far glad that the first Life was so impos'd upon you because it gave an unadvoidable cause of writing the second If not 't is too probable we had wanted both which had been a prejudice to all lovers of Honor and ingenuous Learning And let me not leave my Friend Sir Henry without this Testimony added to yours That he was a Man of as florid a Wit and elegant a Pen as any former or ours which in that kinde is a most excellent Age hath ever produced And now having made this voluntary observation of our two deceased Friends I proceed to satisfie your desire concerning what I know and believe of the ever-memorable Mr. Hooker who was Schismaticorum Malleius so great a Champion for the Church of Englands Rights against the Factious Torrent of Separatists that then ran high against Church-Discipline and in his unanswerable Books continues still to be so against the unquiet Disciples of their Schism which now under other names carry on their design and who as the proper Heirs of their Irrational Zeal would again rake into the scarce-closed Wounds of a newly bleeding State and Church And first though I dare not say I knew Mr. Hooker yet as our Ecclesiastical History reports to the honor of Ignaâ—ius That he lived in the time of St. Iohn and had seen him in his childhood so I also joy that in my minority I have often seen Mr. Hooker with my Father then Lord Bishop of London from whom and others at that time I have heard most of the material passages which you relate in the History of his Life and from my Father received such a Character of his Learning Humility and other Vertues that like Jewels of unvaluable price they still cast such a lustre as Envy or the Rust of Time shall never darken From my Father I have also heard all the circumstances of the Plot to defame him and how Sir Edwin Sandys outwitted his Accusers and gained their confession and could give an account of each particular of that Plot by that I judge it fitter to be forgotten and rot in the same Grave with the malicious Authors I may not omit to declare That my Fathers knowledge of Mr. Hooker was occasioned by the Learned Dr. Iohn Spencer who after the death of Mr. Hooker was so careful to preserve his unvaluable Sixth Seventh and Eighth Books of ECCLESIASTICAL POLITT and his other Writings that he procured Henry Iackson then of Corpus-Christi Colledge to transcribe for him all Mr. Hookers remaining written Papers many of which were imperfect for his Study had been rifled or worse used by Mr. Clark and another of principles too like his But as these Papers were they were endeavored to be compleated by his dear Friend Dr. Spencer who bequeathed them as a precious Legacy to my Father after whose death they rested in my hand till Dr. Abbot then Archbishop of Canterbury commanded them out of my custody authorising Dr. Iohn Barkham his Lordships Chaplain to require and bring them to him to Lambeth At which time I have heard they were put into the Bishops Library and that they remained there till the Martyrdom of Archbishop Laud and were then by the Brethren of that Faction given with the Library to Hugh Peters as a reward for his remarkable service in those sad times of the Churches confusion And though they could hardly fall into a fouler hand yet there wanted not other endeavors to corrupt and make them speak that Language for which the Faction then fought which was To subject the Soveraign Power to the People I need not strive to vindicate Mr. Hooker in this particular his known Loyalty to his Prince whilst he lived the sorrow expressed by King Iames for his death the value our late Soveraign of ever-blessed Memory put upon his Works now the singular Character of his worth given by you in the passages of his life especially in your Appendix to it do sufficiently clear him from that imputation And I am glad you mention how much value Robert Stapleton Pope Clement the Eighth and other eminent Men of the Romish perswasion have put upon his Books having been told the same in my youth by persons of worth that have travelled Italy Lastly I must again congratulate this undertaking of yours as now more proper to you then any other person by reason of your long knowledge and alliance to the worthy family of the Cranmers my old friends also who have been men of noted wisdom especially Mr. George Cranmer whose prudence added to that of Sir Edwin Sandys proved very useful in the compleating of Mr. Hookers matchless Books one of their Letters I herewith send you to make use of if you think fit And let me say further you merit much from many of Mr. Hookers best friends then living namely from the ever-renowned Archb. Whitgist of whose imcomparable worth with the Character of the times you have given us a more short and significant account then I have received from any other Pen. You have done much for Sir Henry Savile his contemporary and familiar friend amongst the surviving Monuments of whose Learning give me leave to tell you so two are omitted his Edition of Euclid but especially his Translation of King Iames his Apology for the Oath of Allegeance into elegant Latine Which flying in that dress as far as Rome was by the Pope and Conclave sent unto Franciscus Snarez to Salamanca he then residing there as President of that Colledge with a command to answer it When he had perfected the work which he calls Defensio Fidei Catholica it was transmitted to Rome for a view of the Inquisitors who according to their custom blotted out what they pleased and as Mr. Hooker hath been used since his death added whatsoever might advance the Popes Supremacy or carry on their own interest commonly coupling together Depâ—nere Occidere the deposing and killing of Princes Which cruel and unchristian Language Mr. Iohn Salikell his Amanuensis when he wrote at Salamanca but since a Convert living long in my Fathers-house often professed the good old man whose Piety and Charity Mr. Salikell magnified much not onely disavowed but detested Not to trouble you further your Reader if according to your desire my approbation of your work carries any weight will finde many just Reasons to thank you for it and for this circumstance here mentioned not known to many may happily apprehend one to thank him who is Chichester Novemb. 13. 15. Sir Your ever-faithful and affectionate Old Friend Henry Chichester THE LIFE OF Mr. Richard Hooker THE INTRODUCTION I Have been perswaded by a Friend that I ought to obey to write The Life of RICHARD HOOKER the happy Author of Five if not more of the Eight Learned Books of The Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity and though I have undertaken it yet it hath been with some unwillingness foreseeing that it must prove
in this case ye are all bound for the time to suspend and in otherwise doing ye offend against God by troubling his Church without any just or necessary cause Be it that there are some reasons inducing you to think hardly of our Laws Are those reasons demonstrative are they necessary or but meer probabilities onely An Argument necessary and demonstrative is such as being proposed unto any man and understood she minde cannot chase but invardly assent Any one such reason dischargeth I grant the Gonscience and setteth it at full liberty For the publick approbation given by the Body of this whole Church unto those things which are established doth make it but probable that they are good And therefore unto a necessary proofe that they are not good it must give place But if the skilfullest amongst you can shew that all the Books ye have hitherto written be able to afford any one argument of this nature let the instance be given As for probabilities What thing was there ever set down so agreeable with sound reason but some probable shew against it might be made It is meet that when publickly things are received and have taken place General Obedience thereunto should cease to be exacted in case this or that private person led with some probable conceit should make open Protostation Peter or John disallow them and pronounce them naught In which case your answer will be That concerning the Laws of our Church they are not onely condemned in the opinion of a private man but of thousands year and even of those amongst which divers are in publick charge and authority At though when publick consent of the whole hath established any thing every mans judgment being thereunto compared were not private howsoever his calling be to some kinde of publick charge So that of Peace and Quietness there is not any way possible unless the probable voice of every intire Society or Body Politick over-rule all private of like nature in the same Body Which thing effectually proveth That God being Author of Peace and not of Confusion in the Church must needs be Author of those mens peaceable resolutions who concerning these things have determined with themselves to think and do as the Church they are of decreeth till they see necessary cause enforcing them to the contrary 7. Nor is mine own intent any other in these several Books of discourse then to make it appear unto you that for the Ecclesiastical Laws of this Land we are led by great reason to observe them and ye by no necessity bound to impugne them It is no part of my secret meaning to draw you hereby into hatred or to set upon the face of this cause any fairer gloss then the naked truth doth afford but my whole endeavor is to resolve the Conscience and to shew as near as I can what in this Controversie the Heart is to think if it will follow the light of sound and sincere judgment without either cloud of prejudice or mist of passionate affection Wherefore seeing that Laws and Ordinances in particular whether such as we observe or such as your selves would have established when the minde doth sift and examine them it must needs have often recourse to a number of doubts and questions about the nature kindes and qualities of Laws in general whereof unless it be throughly informed there will appear no certainty to stay our perswasion upon I have for that cause set down in the first place an Introduction on both sides needful to be considered declaring therein what Law is how different kindes of Laws there are and what force they are of according unto each kinde This done because ye suppose the Laws for which ye strive are found in Scripture but those not against which we strive And upon this surmise are drawn to hold it as the very main Pillar of your whole cause That Scripture ought to be the onely rule of all our actions and consequently that the Church Orders which we observe being not commanded in Scripture are offensive and displeasant unto God I have spent the second Book in sifting of this point which standeth with you for the first and chiefest principle whereon ye build Whereunto the next in degree is That as God will have always a Church upon Earth while the World doth continue and that Church stand in need of Government of which Government it behoveth himself to be both the Author and Teacher So it cannot stand with duty That man should ever presume in any wise to change and alter the same and therefore That in Scripture there must of necessity be found some particular Form of Ecclesiastical Polity the Laws whereof admit not any kinde of alteration The first three Books being thus ended the fourth proceedeth from the general Grounds and Foundations of your cause unto your general Accusations against us as having in the orders of our Church for so you pretend Corrupted the right Form of Church Polity with manifold Popish Rites and Ceremonies which certain Reformed Churches have banished from amongst them and have thereby given us such example as you think we ought to follow This your Assertion hath herein drawn us to make search whether these be just Exceptions against the Customs of our Church when ye plead that they are the same which the Church of Rome hath or that they are not the same which some other Reformed Churches have devised Of those four Books which remain and are bestowed about the Specialties of that Cause which little in Controversie the first examineth the causes by you alledged wherefore the publick duties of Christian Religion as our Prayers our Sacraments and the rest should not be ordered in such sort as with us they are nor that power whereby the persons of men are consecrated unto the Ministry be disposed of in such manner as the Laws of this Church do allow The second and third are concerning the power of Iurisdiction the one Whether Laymen such as your Governing Elders are ought in all Congregations for ever to be invested with that power The other Whether Bishops may have that power over other Pastors and therewithal that honor which with us they have And because besides the Power of Order which all consecrated persons have and the Power of Iurisdiction which neither they all nor they onely have There is a third power a Power of Ecclesiastical Dominion communicable as we think unto persons not Ecclesiastical and most fit to be restrained unto the Prince our Soveraign Commander over the whole Body Politick The eighth Book we have allotted unto this Question and have sifted therein your Objections against those preeminences Royal which thereunto appertain Thus have I laid before you the Brief of these my Travels and presented under your view the Limbs of that Cause litigious between us the whole intire Body whereof being thus compact it shall be no troublesome thing for any man to finde each particular Controversies resting place
and the coherance it hath with those things either on which it dependeth or which depend on it 8. The case so standing therefore my Brethren as it doth the wisdom of Governors ye must not blame in that they further also forecasting the manifold strange and dangerous innovations which are more then likely to follow if your Discipline should take place have for that cause thought it hitherto a part of their duty to withstand your endeavors that way The rather for that they have seen already some small beginnings of the fruits thereof in them who concurring with you in judgment about the necessity of that Discipline have adventured without more ado to separate themselves from the rest of the Church and to put your speculations in execution These mens hastiness the warier sort of you doth not commend ye wish they had held themselves longer in and not so dangerously flown abroad before the feathers of the Cause had been grown their Error with merciful terms ye reprove naming them in great commiseration of minds your poor Brethren They on the contrary side more bitterly accuse you as their false Brethren and against you they plead saying From your Brests it is that we have sucked those things which when ye delivered unto us ye termed that heavenly sincere and wholesom Milk of Gods Word howsoever ye now abhor as poyson that which the vertue thereof hath wrought and brought forth in us Ye sometime our Companions Guides and Familiars with whom we have had most sweet Consultations are now become our professed Adversaries because we think the Statute-Congregation in England to be no true Christian Churches because we have severed our selves from them and because without their leave or licence that are in Civil Authority we have secretly framed our own Churches according to the Platform of the Word of God For of that point between you and us there is no Controversie Also what would ye have us to do At such time as ye were content to accept us in the number of your own your Teaching we heard weread your Writings And though we would yet able we are not to forget with what zeal ye have ever profest That in the English Congregations for so many of them as be ordered according unto their own Laws the very Publick Service of God is fraught as touching Matter with heaps of intolerable Pollutions and as concerning Form borrowed from the Shop of Antichrist hateful both ways in the eyes of the most Holy the kinde of their Government by Bishops and Archbishops Antichristian that Discipline which Christ hath essentially tied that is to say so united unto his Church that we cannot account it really to be his Church which hath not in it the same Discipline that very Discipline no less there despised then in the highest Throne of Antichrist All such parts of the Word of God as do any way concern that Discipline no less unsoundly taught and interpreted by all authorized English Pastors then by Antichrists Factors themselves At Baptism Crossing at the Supper of the Lord. Kneeling at both a number of other the most notorious Badges of Antichristian Recognisance usual Being moved with these and the like your effectual discourses whereunto we gave most attentive ear till they entred even into our souls and were as fire within our bosoms We thought we might hereof be bold to conclude That sith no such Antichristian Synagogue may be accounted a true Church of Christ ye by accusing all Congregations ordered according to the Laws of England as Antichristian did mean to condemn those Congregations as not being any of them worthy the name of a true Christian Church Ye tell us now it is not your meaning But what meant your often threatnings of them who professing themselves the inhabitants of Mount Sion were too loth to depart wholly as they should out of Babylon Whereat our hearts being fearfully troubled we durst not we durst not continue longer so near her confines lest her plagues might suddenly overtake us before we did cease to be partakers with her sins for so we could not chuse but acknowledge with grief that we were when they doing evil we by our presence in their Assemblies seemed to like thereof or at leastwise not so earnestly to dislike as became men heartily zealous of Gods glory For adventuring to erect the Discipline of Christ without the leave of the Christian Magistrate haply ye may condemn us as fools in that we hazard thereby our estates and persons further then you which are that way more wise think necessary But of any offence or sin therein committed against God with what conscience can you accuse us when your own positions are That the things we observe should every of them be dearer unto us then ten thousand lives that they are the peremptory Commandments of God that no mortal man can dispense with them and that the Magistrate grievously sinneth in not constraining thereunto Will ye blame any man for doing that of his own accord which all men should be compelled to do that are not willing of themselves When God commandeth shall we answer that we will obey if so be Cesar will grant us leave Is Discipline an Ecclesiastical Matter or a Civil If an Ecclesiastical is must of necessity belong to the duty of the Minister and the Minister ye say holdeth all his Authority of doing whatsoever belongeth unto the Spiritual Charge of the House of God even immediately from God himself without dependency upon any Magistrate Whereupon it followeth as we suppose that the hearts of the people being willing to be under the Scepter of Christ the Minister of God into whose hands the Lord himself hath put that Scepter is without all excuse if thereby he guide them not Nor do we finde that hitherto greatly ye have disliked those Churches abroad where the people with direction of their godly Ministers have even against the will of the Magistrate brought in either the Doctrine or Discipline of Iesus Christ For which cause we must now think the very same thing of you which our Saviour did sometime utter concerning false-hearted Scribes and Pharisees They say and do not Thus the foolish Barrowist deriveth his Schism by way of Conclusion as to him it seemeth directly and plainly out of your principles Him therefore we leave to be satisfied by you from whom he hath sprung And if such by your own acknowledgment be persons dangerous although as yet the alterations which they have made are of small and tender growth the changes likely to ensue throughout all States and Vocations within this Land in case your desire should take place must be thought upon First Concerning the Supream Power of the Highest they are no small Prerogatives which now thereunto belonging the Form of your Discipline will constrain it to resign as in the last Book of this Treatise we have shewed at large Again it may justly be feared whether our English
regard the present State of the highest Governor placed over us if the quality and disposition of our Nobles if the Orders and Laws of our famous Universities if the Profession of the Civil or the Practice of the Common Law amongst us if the mischiefs whereinto even before our eyes so many others have faln head-long from no less plausible and fair beginnings then yours are There is in every of these Considerations most just cause to fear lest our hastiness to embrace a thing of so perilous consequence should cause Posterity to feel those evils which as yet are more easie for us to prevent then they would be for them to remedy 9. The best and safest way for you therefore my dear Brethren is To call your Deeds past to a new reckoning to re-examine the cause ye have taken in hand and to try it even point by point argument by argument with all the diligent exactness ye can to lay aside the Gall of that Bitterness wherein your mindes have hitherto ever-abounded and with meekness to search the Truth Think ye are Men deem it not impossible for you to err sift unpartially your own hearts whether it be force of Reason or vehemency of Affection which hath bred and still doth feed these Opinions in you If Truth do any where manifest it self seek not to smother it with gloâ—ing Delusion acknowledge the greatness thereof and think it your best Victory when the same doth prevail over youâ— That ye have been earnest in speaking or writing again and again the contrary way should be noblemish or discredit at all unto you Amongst so many so huge Volumes as the infinite pains of St. Augustine have brought forth what one hath gotten him greater love commendation and honor then the Book wherein he carefully collecteth his own over-sights and sincerely condemneth them Many speeches there are of Jobs whereby his Wisdom and other Vertues may appear but the glory of an ingenuous minde he hath purchased by these words onely Behold I will lay mine hand on my mouth I have spoken once yet will I not therefore maintain Argument yea twice howbeit for that cause further I will not proceed Far more comfort it were for us so small is the joy we take in these strises to labor under the same yoke as men that look for the same eternal reward of their labors to be enjoyned with you in Bands of indissoluble Love and Amity to live as if our persons being many our souls were but one rather than in such dismembred sort to spend our few and wretched days in a tedious prosecuting of wearisome contentions the end whereof if they have not some speedy end will be heavy even on both sides Brought already we are even to that estate which Gregory Nazianzen mournfully describeth saying My minde leadeth me sith there is no other remedy to flie and to convey my self into some corner out of sight where I may scape from this cloudy tempest of maliciousness whereby all parts are entred into a deadly war amongst themselves and that little remnant of love which was is now consumed to nothing The onely godliness we glory in is to finde out somewhat whereby we may judge others to be ungodly Each others faults we observe as matter of exprobration and not of grief By these means we are grown hateful in the eyes of the Heathens themselves and which woundeth us the more deeply able we are not to deny but that we have deserved their hatred With the better sort of our own our fame and credit is clean lost The less we are to marvel if they judge vilely of us who although we did well would hardly allow thereof On our backs they also build that are leud and what we object one against another the same they use to the utter scorn and disgrace of us all This we have gained by our mutual home-dissentions This we are worthily rewarded with which are more forward to strive then becometh men of vertuous and milde disposition But our trust in the Almighty is that with us Contentions are now at the highest flote and that the day will come for what cause of despair is there when the Passions of former Enmity being allayed we shall with ten times redoubled tokens of our unfeignedly reconciled love shew our selves each towards other the same which Joseph and the Brethren of Joseph were at the time of their enterview in Egypt Our comfortable expectation and most thirsty desire whereof what man soever amongst you shall any way help to satisfie as we truly hope there is no one amongst you but some way or other will The blessings of the God of Peace both in this World and in the World to come be upon him more then the Stars of the Firmament in number WHAT THINGS ARE HANDLED In the following BOOKS BOOK I. COncerning LAWS in General BOOK II. Of the use of Divine Law contained in Scripture Whether that be the onely Law which ought to serve for our Direction in all things without exception BOOK III. Of Laws concerning Ecclesiastical Polity Whether the Form thereof be in Scripture so set down that no Addition or Charge is lawful BOOK IV. Of General Exceptions taken against the Laws of our Polity as being Popish and banished out of certain Reformed Churches BOOK V. Of our Laws that concern the Publick Religious Duties of the Church and the manner of bestowing that Power of Order which enableth Men in sundry Degrees and Callings to execute the same BOOK VI. Of the Power of Iurisdiction which the Reformed Platform claimeth unto Lay-Elders with others BOOK VII Of the Power of Iurisdiction and the Honor which is annexed thereunto in Bishops BOOK VIII Of the Power of Ecclesiastical Dominion or Supream Authority which with us the highest Governor or Prince hath as well in regard of Domestical Iurisdictions as of that other Foreignly claimed by the Bishop of Rome OF THE LAWS OF Ecclesiastical Polity BOOK I. Concerning Laws and their several kindes in general The Matter contained in this First Book 1. THe cause of Writing this General Discourse concerning Laws 2. Of that Law which God from before the beginning hath set for himself to do all things by 3. The Law which Natural Agents observe and their necessary manner of keeping it 4. The Law which the Angels of God obey 5. The Law whereby Man is in his Actions directed to the Imitation of God 6. Mens first beginning to understand that Law 7. Of Mans Will which is the first thing that Laws of Action are made to guide 8. Of the Natural finding out of Laws by the Light of Reason to guide the Will unto that which is good 9. Of the benefit of keeping that Law which Reason teacheth 10. How Reason doth lead Men unto the making of Humane Laws whereby Politick Societies are governed and to agreement about Laws whereby the Fellowship or Communion of Independent Societies stanoeth 11. Wherefore God hath by Scripture
them that so to do were so sin against their own souls and that they put forth their hands to iniquity whatsoever they go about and have not first the sacred Scripture of God for direction how can it chuse but bring the simple a thousand times to their wits end how can it chuse but vex and amaze them For in every action of common life to since out some seâ—tence clearly and infallibly setting before our eyes what we ought to do seem we in Scripture never so expert would trouble us more then we are aware In weak and tender minds we little know what misery this strict opinion would breed besides the stops it would make in the whole course of all mens lives and actions make all things sin which we do by direction of Natures light and by the rule of common discretion without thinking at all upon Scripture Admit this Position and Parents shall cause their children to sin as oft as they cause them to do any thing before they come to years of capacity and be ripe for Knowledge in the Scripture Admit this and it shall not be with Masters as it was with him him in the Gospel but servants being commanded to go shall stand still till they have errand warranted unto them by Scripture Which as it standeth with Christian duty in some cases so in common affairs to require it were most unfit Two opinions therefore there are concerning sufficiency of holy Scripture each extreamly opposit unto the other and both repugnant unto truth The Schools of Rome teach Scripture to be unsufficient as if except Traditions were added it did not contain all revealed and supernatural Truth which absolutely is necessary for the children of men in this life to know that they may in the next be saved Others justly condemning this opinion grow likewise unto a dangerous extremity as if Scripture did not only contain all things in that kinde necessary but all things simply and in such sort that to do any thing according to any other Law were not only unnecessary but even opposite unto salvation unlawful and sinful Whatsoever is spoken of God or things appertaining to God otherwise then as the truth is though it seem an honour it is an injury And as incredible praises given unto men do often abate and impair the credit of their deserved commendation so we must likewise take great heed lest in attributing unto Scripture more then it can have the incredibility of that do cause even those things which indeed it hath most abundantly to be less reverendly esteemed I therefore leave it to themselves to consider Whether they have in this First Point overshot themselves or not which God doth know is quickly done even when our meaning is most sincere as I am verily perswaded theirs in this case was OF THE LAWS OF Ecclesiastical Polity Book III. Concerning their Second Assertion That in Scripture there must be of necessity contained a Form of Church Polity the Laws whereof may in no wise be altered The Matter contained in this Third Book 1. WHat the Church is and in what respect Laws of Polity are thereunto necessarily required 2. Whether it be necessary that some particular Form of Church Polity be set down in Scripture sith the things that belong particularly to any such Form are not of necessity to salvation 3. That matters of Church Polity are different from matters of Faith and Salvation and that they themselves so teach which are out Reprovers for so teaching 4. That hereby we take not from Scripture any thing which thereunto with the soundness of truth may be given 5. Their meaning who first urged against the Polity of the Church of England that nothing ought to be established in the Church more then is commanded by the Word of God 6. How great injury men by so thinking should offer unto all the Churches of God 7. A shift notwithstanding to maintain it by interpreting Commanded as though it were meant that greater things onely ought to be found set down in Scripture particularly and lesser framed by the general Rules of Scripture 8. Another Device to defend the same by expounding Commanded as if it did signifie grounded as Scripture and were opposed to things sound out by the light of natural reason onely 9. How Laws for the Polity of the Church may be made by the advise of men and how those being nor repugnant to the Word of God are approved in his sight 10. The neither Gods being the Author of Laws nor yet his committing of them to Scripture is any Reason sufficient to prove that they admit no addition or change 11. Whether Christ must needs intend Laws unchangeable altogether or have forbidden any where to make any other Law then himself did deliver ALbeit the substance of those Controversies whereinto we have begun to wade be rather of outward things appertaining to the Church of Christ then of any thing wherein the nature and being of the Church consisteth yet because the Subject or Matter which this Position concerneth is A Forms of Church Government or Church-Polity It therefore behoveth us so far forth to consider the nature of the Church as is requisite for mens more clear and plain understanding in what respect Laws of Polity or Government are necessary thereunto That Church of Christ which we properly term his body Mystical can be but one neither can that one be sensibly discerned by any man inasmuch as the parts thereof are some in Heaven already with Christ and the rest that are on earth albeit their natural persons be visible we do not discern under this property whereby they are truly and infallibly of that body Only our minds by intellectual conceit are able to apprehend that such a real body there is a body collective because it containeth an huge multitude a body mystical because the mystery of their conjunction is removed altogether from sense Whatsoever we read in Scripture concerning the endless love and the saving mercy which God sheweth towards his Church the only proper subject thereof is this Church Concerning this Flock it is that our Lord and Saviour hath promised I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any pluck them out of my hands They who are of this Society have such Marks and Notes of distinction from all others as are not objects unto our sense only unto God who seeth their hearts and understandeth all their secret cogitations unto him they are clear and manifest All men knew Nathaniel to be an Israelite But our Saviour piercing deeper giveth further Testimony of him then men could have done with such certainty as he did Behold indeed an Israelite in whom there is no guile If we profess as Peter did that we love the Lord and profess it in the hearing of men charity is prone to believe all things and therefore charitablemen are likely to think we do so as long as they see
or offensive unto any especially unto the Church of God All things in order and with seemliness All unto edification finally All to the glory of God Of which kinde how many might be gathered out of the Scripture if it were necessary to take so much pains Which Rules they that urge minding thereby to prove that nothing may be done in the Church but what Scripture commandeth must needs hold that they tie the Church of Christ no otherwise then onely because we finde them there set down by the Finger of the Holy Ghost So that unless the Apostle by writing had delivered those Rules to the Church we should by observing them have sinned as now by not observing them In the Church of the Jews is it not granted That the appointment of the hour for daily Sacrifices the building of Synagogues throughout the Land to hear the Word of God and to pray in when they came not up to Ierusalem the erecting of Pulpits and Chairs to teach in the order of Burial the Rites of Marriage with such like being matters appertaining to the Church yet are not any where prescribed in the Law but were by the Churches discretion instituted What then shall we think Did they hereby add to the Law and so displease God by that which they did None so hardly perswaded of them Doth their Law deliver unto them the self-same general Rules of the Apostle that framing thereby their Orders they might in that respect clear themselves from doing amiss St. Paul would then of likelihood have cited them out of the Law which we see he doth not The truth is they are Rules and Canons of that Law which is written in all mens hearts the Church had for ever no less then now stood bound to observe them whether the Apostle had mentioned them or no. Seeing therefore those Canons do binde as they are Edicts of Nature which the Jews observing as yet unwritten and thereby framing such Church Orders as in their Law were not prescribed are notwithstanding in that respect unculpable It followeth that sundry things may be lawfully done in the Church so as they be not done against the Scripture although no Scripture do command them but the Church onely following the Light of Reason judge them to be in discretion meet Secondly unto our purpose and for the question in hand Whether the Commandments of God in Scripture be general or special it skilleth not For if being particularly applied they have in regard of such particulars a force constraining us to take some one certain thing of many and to leave the rest whereby it would come to pass that any other particular but that one being established the general Rules themselves in that case would be broken then is it utterly impossible that God should leave any thing great or small free for the Church to establish or not Thirdly if so be they shall grant as they cannot otherwise do that these Rules are no such Laws as require any one particular thing to be done but serve rather to direct the Church in all things which she doth so that free and lawful it is to devise any Ceremony to receive any Order and to authorise any kinde of Regiment no special Commandment being thereby violated and the same being thought such by them to whom the judgment thereof appertaineth as that it is not scandalous but decent tending unto edification and setting forth the glory of God that is to say agreeable unto the general Rules of holy Scripture this doth them no good in the World for the furtherance of their purpose That which should make for them must prove that men ought not to make Laws for Church Regiment but onely keep those Laws which in Scripture they finde made The plain intent of the Books of Ecclesiastical Discipline is to shew that men may not devise Laws of Church Government but are bound for ever to use and to execute onely those which God himself hath already devised and delivered in the Scripture The self-same drift the Admonitioners also had in urging that nothing ought to be done in the Church according unto any Law of Mans devising but all according to that which God in his Word hath commanded Which not remembring they gather out of Scripture General Rules to be followed in making Laws and so in effect they plainly grant that we our selves may lawfully make Laws for the Church and are not bound out of Scripture onely to take Laws already made as they meant who first alledged that principle whereof we speak One particular Plat-form it is which they respected and which they labored thereby to force upon all Churches whereas these general Rules do not let but that there may well enough be sundry It is the particular Order established in the Church of England which thereby they did intend to alter as being not commanded of God whereas unto those general Rules they know we do not defend that we may hold any thing unconformable Obscure it is not what meaning they had who first gave out that grand Axiom and according unto that meaning it doth prevail far and wide with the Favorers of that part Demand of them wherefore they conform not themselves unto the Order of our Church and in every particular their answer for the most part is We finde no such thing commanded in the Word Whereby they plainly require some special Commandment for that which is exacted at their hands neither are they content to have matters of the Church examined by general Rules and Canons As therefore in controversies between us and the Church of Rome that which they practise is many times even according to the very grossness of that which the vulgar sort conceiveth when that which they teach to maintain it is so nice and subtil that hold can very hardly be taken thereupon In which cases we should do the Church of God small benefit by disputing with them according unto the finest points of their dark conveyances and suffering that sense of their Doctrine to go uncontrouled wherein by the common sort it is ordinarily received and practised So considering what disturbance hath grown in the Church amongst our selves and how the Authors thereof do commonly build altogether on this as a sure Foundation Nothing ought to be established in the Church which in the Word of God is not commanded Were it reason that we should suffer the same to pass without controulment in that current meaning whereby every where it prevaileth and stay till some strange construction were made thereof which no man would lightly have thought on but being driven thereunto for a shift 8. The last refuge in maintaining this Position is thus to construe it Nothing ought to be established in the Church but that which is commanded in the Word of God that is to say All Church Orders must be grounded upon the Word of God in such sort grounded upon the Word not that being sound out by some Star
for Secular as Sacred uses was commanded to make not to sanctifie but the Unction of the Tabernacle the Table the Laver the Altar of God with all the instruments appertaining thereunto this made them for ever holy unto him in whose service they were imployed But what of this Doth it hereupon follow that all things now in the Church from the greatest to the least are unholy which the Lord hath not himself precisely instituted for so those Rudiments they say do import Then is there nothing holy which the Church by her Authority hath appointed and consequently all positive Ordinances that ever were made by Ecclesiastical Power touching Spiritual affairs are prophane they are unholy I would not with them to undertake a Work so desperate as to prove that for the Peoples instruction no kinde of Reading is good but only that which the Jews devised under Antiochus although even that he also mistaken For according to Elius the Levite out of whom it doth seem borrowed the thing which Antiochus forbad was the Publick reading of the Law and not Sermons upon the Law Neither did the Jews read a Portion of the Prophets together with the Law to serve for an interpretation thereof because Sermons were not permitted them But instead of the Law which they might not read openly they read of the Prophets that which in likeness of matter came nearest to each Section of their Law Whereupon when afterwards the liberty of reading the Law was restored the self-same Custom as touching the Prophets did continue still If neither the Jews have used publickly to read their Paraphrasts nor the Primitive Church for a long time any other Writings than Scripture except the Cause of their not doing it were some Law of God or Reason forbidding them to do that which we do why should the latter Ages of the Church be deprived of the Liberty the former had Are we bound while the World standeth to put nothing in practice but onely that which was at the very first Concerning the Council of Laodicea is it forbiddeth the reading of those things which are not Canonical so it maketh some things not Canonical which are Their Judgment in this we may not and in that we need not follow We have by thus many years experience found that exceeding great good not incumbred with any notable inconvenience hath grown by the Custome which we now observe As for the harm whereof judicious men have complained in former times it came not of this that other things were read besides the Scripture but that so evil choyce was made With us there is never any time bestowed in Divine Service without the reading of a great part of the holy Scripture which we acount a thing most necessary We dare not admit any such Form of Liturgy as either appointeth no Scripture at all or very little to be read in the Church And therefore the thrusting of the Bible out of the House of God is rather there to be feared where men esteem it a matter so indifferent whether the same be by solemn appointment read publickly or not read the bare Text excepted which the Preacher haply chuseth out to expound But let us here consider what the Practise of our Fathers before us hath been and how far-forth the same may be followed We find that in ancient times there was publickly read first the Scripture as namely something out of the Books of the Prophets of God which were of old something out of the Apostles Writings and lastly out of the holy Evangelists some things which touched the Person of our Lord Jesus Christ himself The cause of their reading first the old Testament then the New and always somewhat out of both is most likely to have been that which Iustin Martyr and Saint August observe in comparing the two Testaments The Apostles saith the one hath taught us as themselves did learn first the Precepts of the Law and then the Gospels For what else is the Law but the Gospel foreshewed What other the Gospel than the Law fulfilled In like sort the other What the Old Testament hath the very same the New containeth but that which lyeth there at under a shadow in here brought forth into the open Sun Things there prefigured are here performed Again In the Old Testament there is a close comprehension of the New in the New an open discovery of the Old To be short the method of their Publick readings either purposely did tend or at the least-wise doth fitly serve That from smaller things the mindes of the Hearers may go forward to the Knowledge of greater and by degrees climbe up from the lowest to the highest things Now besides the Scripture the Books which they called Ecclesiastical were thought not unworthy sometime to be brought into publick audience and with that Name they intituled the Books which we term Apocryphal Under the self-same Name they also comprised certain no otherwise annexed unto the New than the former unto the Old Testament as a Book of Hermes Epistles of Clement and the like According therefore to the Phrase of Antiquity these we may term the New and the other the Old Ecclesiastical Books or Writings For we being directed by a Sentence I suppose of Saint Ierom who saith That All Writings not Canonical are Apocryphal use not now the Title Apocryphal as the rest of the Fathers ordinarily have done whose Custom is so to name for the most part only such as might not publickly be read or divulged Ruffinus therefore having rehearsed the self-same Books of Canonical Scripture which with us are held to be alone Canonical addeth immediately by way of caution We must know that other Books there are also which our Fore-fathers have used to name not Canonical but Ecclesiastical Books as the Book of Wisdom Ecclesiasticus Toby Judith the Macchabees in the Old Testament in the New the Book of Hermes and such others All which Books and Writings they willed to be read in Churches but not to be alleadged as if their authority did binde us to build upon them our Faith Other Writings they named Apocryphal which they would not have read in Churches These things delivered unto us from the Fathers we have in this place thought good to set down So far Ruffinus He which considereth notwithstanding what store of false and forged Writings dangerous unto Christian Belief and yet bearing glorious Inscriptions began soon upon the Apostles times to be admitted into the Church and to be honoured as if they had been indeed Apostolick shall easily perceive what cause the Provincial Synod of Laodicea might have as then to prevent especially the danger of Books made newly Ecclesiastical and for feat of the fraud of Hereticks to provide that such Publick readings might be altogether taken out of Canonical Scripture Which Ordinance respecting but that abuse which grew through the intermingling of
Lessons Human with Sacred at such time as the one both affected the Credit and usurped the Name of the other as by the Canon of a later Council providing remedy for the self-same Evil and yet allowing the old Ecclesiastical Books to be read it doth more plainly and clearly appear neither can be construed nor should be urged utterly to prejudice our use of those old Ecclesiastical Writings much less of Homilies which were a third kinde of Readings usual in former times a most commendable Institution as well then to supply the casual as now the necessary defect of Sermons In the heat of general Persecution whereunto Christian Belief was subject upon the first promulgation thereof throughout the World it much confirmed the courage and constancy of weaker mindes when publick relation was made unto them after what manner God had been glorified through the sufferings of Martyrs famous amongst them for Holiness during life and at the time of their death admirable in all mens eyes through miraculous evidence of Grace divine assisting them from above For which cause the Vertues of some being thought expedient to be annually had in remembrance above the rest this brought in a fouth kinde of Publick Reading whereby the lives of such Saints and Martyrs had at the time of their yearly Memorials solemn recognition in the Church of God The fond imitation of which laudible Custom being in later Ages resumed where there was neither the like cause to do as the Fathers before had done nor any Care Conscience or Wit in such as undertook to perform that Work some brainless men have by great labour and travel brought to pass that the Church is now ashamed of nothing more than of Saints If therefore Pope Gelasim did so long sithence see those defects of Judgment even then for which the reading of the Acts of Martyrs should be and was at that time forborn in the Church of Rome we are not to marvail that afterwards Legends being grown in a manner to be nothing else but heaps of frivolous and scandalous vanities they have been even with disdain thrown out the very Nests which bred them abhorring them We are not therefore to except only Scripture and to make confusedly all the residue of one sute as if they who abolish Legends could not without incongruity retain in the Church either Homilies or those old Ecclesiastical Books Which Books in case my self did think as some others do safer and better to be left publickly unread nevertheless as in other things of like nature even so in this my private Judgement I should be loath to oppose against the force of their Reverend Authority who rather considering the Divine excellency of some things in all and of all things in certain of those Apocrypha which we publickly read have thought-it better to let them stand as a lift or marginal border unto the Old Testament and though with Divine yet as Human compositions to grant at the least unto certain of them publick audience in the House of God For in as much as the due estimation of heavenly Truth dependeth wholly upon the known and approved authority of those famous Oracles of God it greatly behoveth the Church to have always most especial care lest through confused mixture at any time Human usurp the room and Title of Divine Writings Wherefore albeit for the Peoples more plain instruction as the antient use hath been we read in our Churches certain Books besides the Scripture yet as the Scripture we read them not All men know our professed opinion touching the difference whereby we sever them from the Scripture And if any where it be suspected that some one or other will haply mistake a thing so manifest in every man's eye there is no lett but that as often as those Books are read and need so requireth the style of their difference may expresly be mentioned to barr even all possiblity of Error It being then known that we hold not the Apocrypha for sacred as we do the holy Scripture but for human compositions the subject whereof are sundry Divine matters let there be reason shewed why to read any part of them publickly it should be unlawful or hurtful unto the Church of God I hear it said that many things in them are very frivolous and unworthy of publick audience yea many contrary plainly contrary to the holy Scripture Which hitherto is neither sufficiently proved by him who saith it and if the proofs thereof were strong yet the very allegation it self is weak Let us therefore suppose for I will not demand to what purpose it is that against our Custom of reading Books not Canonical they bring exceptions of matter in those Books which we never use to read suppose I say that what faults soever they have observed throughout the passages of all those Books the same in every respect were such as neither could be construed nor ought to be censured otherwise than even as themselves pretend Yet as men through too much haste oftentimes forget the Errand whereabout they should go so here it appeareth that an eager desire to take together whatsoever might prejudice or any way hinder the credit of Apocryphal Books hath caused the Collector's Pen so to run as it were on Wheels that the minde which should guide it had no leisure to think whether that which might haply serve to with-hold from giving them the Authority which belongeth unto Sacred Scripture and to cut them off from the Canon would as effectually serve to shut them altogether out of the Church and to withdraw from granting unto them that publick use wherein they are only held as profitable for instruction Is it not acknowledged that those Books are Holy that they are Ecclesiastical and Sacred that to term them Divine as being for their excellency next unto them which are properly so termed is no way to honour them above desert yea even that the whole Church of Christ as well at the first as sithence hath most worthily approved their fitness for the publick informations of Life and manners Is not thus much I say acknowledged and that by them who notwithstanding receive not the same for any part of Canonical Scripture by them who deny not but that they are Faulty by them who are ready enough to give instances wherein they seem to contain matter scarce agreeable with holy Scripture So little doth such their supposed Faultiness in moderate mens Judgments inforce the removal of them out of the House of God that still they are judged to retain worthily those very Titles of Commendation than which there cannot greater be given to Writings the Authors whereof are Men. As in truth if the Scripture it self ascribing to the Persons of Men Righteousness in regard of their manifold vertues may not rightly be construed as though it did thereby clear them and make them quite free from all faults no reason we should judge
the Sacred Authority of Scriptures ever sithence the first publication thereof even till this present day and hour And that they all have always so testified I see not how we should possibly wish a proof more palpable than this manifest received and every where continued Custom of Reading them publickly as the Scriptures The Reading therefore of the Word of God as the use hath ever been in open Audience is the plainest evidence we have of the Churches assent and acknowledgement that it is his Word 3. A further commodity this Custom hath which is to furnish the very simplest and rudest sort with such infallible Axioms and Precepts of Sacred Truth delivered even in the very letter of the Law of God as may serve them for Rules whereby to judge the better all other Doctrins and Instructions which they hear For which end and purpose I see not how the Scripture could be possibly made familiar unto all unless far more should be read in the Peoples hearing than by a Sermon can be opened For whereas in a manner the whole Book of God is by reading every year published a small part thereof in comparison of the whole may hold very well the readiest Interpreter of Scripture occupied many years 4. Besides wherefore should any man think but that Reading it self is one of the ordinary means whereby it pleaseth God of his gracious goodness to instill that Celestial Verity which being but so received is nevertheless effectual to save Souls Thus much therefore we ascribe to the Reading of the Word of God as the manner is in our Churches And because it were odious if they on their part should altogether despise the same they yield that Reading may set forward but not begin the work of Salvation That Faith may be nourished therewith but not bred That herein mens attention to the Scriptures and their speculation of the Creatures of God have like efficacy both being of power to augment but neither to effect Belief without Sermons That if any believe by Reading alone we are to account it a miracle an extraordinary work of God Wherein that which they grant we gladly accept at their hands and with that patiently they would examine how little cause they have to deny that which as yet they grant not The Scripture witnesseth that when the Book of the Law of God had been sometime missing and was after found the King which heard it but only read tare his Cloaths and with tears confessed Great is the wrath of the Lord upon us because our Fathers have notâ— kept his Word to do after all things which are written in this Book This doth argue that by bare reading for of Sermons at that time there is no mention true Repentance may be wrought in the hearts of such as fear God and yet incurr his displeasure the deserved effect whereof is Eternal death So that their Repentance although it be not their first entrance is notwithstanding the first step of their re-entrance into Life and may be in them wrought by the Word only read unto them Besides it seemeth that God would have no man stand in doubt but that the reading of Scripture is effectual as well to lay even the first foundation as to adde degrees of farther perfection in the fear of God And therefore the Law saith Thou shalt read this Law before all Israel that Men Women and Children may hear yea even that their Children which as yet have not known it may hear it and by hearing it so read may learn to fear the Lord. Our Lord and Saviour was himself of opinion That they which would not be drawn to amendment of Life by the Testimony which Moses and the Prophets have given concerning the miseries that follow Sinners after death were not likely to be perswaded by other means although God from the very Dead should have raised them up Preachers Many hear the Books of God and believe them not Howbeit their unbelief in that case we may not impute unto any weakness or insufficiency in the mean which is used towards them but to the wilful bent of their obstinate hearts against it With mindes obdurate nothing prevaileth As well they that preach as they that read unto such shall still have cause to complain with the Prophets which were of old Who will give credit unto our Teaching But with whom ordinary means will prevail surely the power of the World of God even without the help of Interpreters in God's Church worketh mightily not unto their confirmation alone which are converted but also to their conversion which are not It shall not boot them who derogate from reading to excuse it when they see no other remedy as if their intent were only to deny that Aliens and Strangers from the Family of God are won or that Belief doth use to be wrought at the first in them without Sermons For they know it is our Custom of simple Reading not for conversion of Infidels estranged from the House of God but for instruction of Men baptised bred and brought up in the bosom of the Church which they despise as a thing uneffectual to save such Souls In such they imagine that God hath no ordinary mean to work Faith without Sermons The reason why no man can attain Belief by the bare contemplation of Heaven and Earth is for that they neither are sufficient to give us as much as the least spark of Light concerning the very principal Mysteries of our Faith and whatsoever we may learn by them the same we can only attain to know according to the manner of natural Sciences which meer discourse of Wit and Reason findeth out whereas the things which we properly believe be only such as are received upon the credit of Divine Testimony Seeing therefore that he which considereth the Creatures of God findeth therein both these defects and neither the one nor the other in Scriptures because he that readeth unto us the Scriptures delivereth all the Mysteries of Faith and not any thing amongst them all more than the mouth of the Lord doth warrant It followeth in those own respects that our consideration of Creatures and attention unto Scriptures are not in themselves and without-Sermons things of like disability to breed or beget Faith Small cause also there is why any man should greatly wonder as at an extraordinary work if without Sermons Reading be sound to effect thus much For I would know by some special instance what one Article of Christian Faith or what duty required unto all mens Salvation there is which the very reading of the Word of God is not apt to notifie Effects are miraculous and strange when they grow by unlikely means But did we ever hear it accounted for a Wonder that he which doth read should believe and live according to the will of Almighty God Reading doth convey to the Minde that Truth without addition or diminution which Scripture hath derived from
at all times edefie and instruct the attentive hearer Or is our Faith in the Blessed Trinity a matter needless to be so oftentimes mentioned and opened in the principal part of that duty which we ow to God our Publick Prayer Hath the Church of Christ from the first beginning by a secret Universal Instinct of Gods good Spirit always tied it self to end neither Sermon nor almost any speech of moment which hath concerned Matters of God without some special words of honor and glory to that Trinity which we all adore and is the like conclusion of Psalms become now at length an eye-sore or a galling to their ears that hear it Those flames of Arianism they say are quenched which were the cause why the Church devised in such sort to confess and praise the glorious Deity of the Son of God Seeing therefore the sore is whole why retain we as yet the Plaâ—ster When the cause why any thing was ordained doth once cease the thing it self should cease with it that the Church being eased of unprofitable labors needful offices may the better be attended For the doing of things unnecessary is many times the cause why the most necessary are not done But in this case so to reason will not serve their turns For first the ground whereupon they build is not certainly their own but with special limitations Few things are so restrained to any one end or purpose that the same being extinct they should forthwith utterly become frustrate Wisdom may have framed one and the same thing to serve commodiously for divers ends and of those ends any one be sufficient cause for continuance though the rest have ceased even as the Tongue which Nature hath given us for an Instrument of speech is not idle in dumb persons because it also serveth for taste Again if time have worn out or any other mean altogether taken away what was first intended uses not thought upon before may afterwards spring up and be reasonable causes of retaining that which other considerations did formerly procure to be instituted And it cometh sometime to pass that a thing unnecessary in it self as touching the whole direct purpose whereto it was meant or can be applied doth notwithstanding appear convenient to be still held even without use lest by reason of that coherence which it hath with somewhat most necessary the removal of the one should indamage the other And therefore men which have clean lost the possibility of sight keep still their eyes nevertheless in the place where Nature set them As for these two Branches whereof our Question groweth Arianism was indeed some occasion of the one but a cause of neither much less the onely intire cause of both For albeit conflict with Arians brought forth the occasion of writing that Creed which long after was made a part of the Church Liturgy as Hymns and Sentences of Glory were a part thereof before yet cause sufficient there is why both should remain in use the one as a most Divine Explication of the chiefest Articles of our Christian Belief the other as an Heavenly acclamation of joyful applause to his praises in whom we believe neither the one nor the other unworthy to he heard souncing as they are in the Church of Christ whether Arianism live or die Against which poyson likewise if we think that the Church at this day needeth not those ancient preservatives which ages before us were so glad to use we deceive our selves greatly The Weeds of Heresie being grown unto such ripeness as that was do even in the very cutting down scatter oftentimes those seeds which for a while lie unseen and buried in the Earth but afterward freshly spring up again no less pernicious them at the first Which thing they very well know and I doubt not will easily confess who live to their great both toil and grief where the blasphemies of Arians Samosatenians Tritheits Eutychians and Maccdonians are renewed by them who to hatch their Heresie have chosen those Churches as fittest Nests where Athanasius Creed is not heard by them I say renewed who following the course of extream Reformation were wont in the pride of their own proceedings to glory that whereas Luther did but blow away the Roof and Zwinglius batter but the Walls of Popish Superstition the last and hardest work of all remained which was to raze up the very ground and foundation of Popery that doctrine concerning the Deity of Christ which Satanasius for so it pleased those impious forsaken Miscreants to speak hath in this memorable Creed explained So manifestly true is that which one of the Ancients hath concerning Arianism Mortuis authoribus hujus veneni scelerata tamen eorum doctrina non moritur The Authors of this venom being dead and gone their wicked doctrine notwithstanding continueth 43. Amongst the heaps of these Excesses and Superfluities there is espied the want of a principal part of duty There are no thanksgivings for the benefits for which there are Petitions in our Book of Prayer This they have thought a point material to be objected Neither may we take it in evil part to be admonished what special duties of thankfulness we ow to that merciful God for whose unspeakable Graces the onely requital which we are able to make is a true hearty and sincere acknowledgement how precious we esteem such benefits received and how infinite in goodness the Author from whom they come But that to every Petition we make for things needful there should be some answerable sentence of thanks provided particularly to follow such requests obtained either it is not a matter so requisite as they pretend or if it be wherefore have they not then in such order framed their own Book of Common Prayer Why hath our Lord and Saviour taught us a form of Prayer containing so many Petitions of those things which we want and not delivered in like sort as many several forms of Thanksgiving to serve when any thing we pray for is granted What answer soever they can reasonably make unto these demands the same shall discover unto them how causeless a censure it is that there are not in our Book Thanksgivings for all the benefits forwhiâ—â— there are Petitions For concerning the Blessings of God whether they tend unto this life or the life to come there is great cause why we should delight more if giving thanks then in making requests for them in as much as the one hath penâ—â—veness and fear the other always joy annexed the one belongeth unto them that seek the other unto them that have found happiness they that pray do but yet sow they that give thanks declare they have reaped Howbeit because there are so many Graces whereof we stand in continual need Graces for which we may not cease daily and hourly to sue Graces which are in bestowing always but never come to be sully had in this present life and therefore when all things here have an end
sort of men capable Cities in the absence of their Governours are as Ships wanting Pilots at Sea But were it therefore Justice to punish whom Superiour Authority pleaseth to call from home or alloweth to be employed elsewhere In committing many Offices to one man there are apparently these inconveniencies the Common wealth doth lose the benefit of serviceable men which might be trained up in those rooms it is not easie for one man to discharge many mens duties well in service of Warfare and Navigation were it not the overthrow of whatsoever is undertaken if one or two should ingrosse such Offices as being now divided into many hands are discharged with admirable both perfection and expedition Nevertheless be it farr from the minde of any reasonable man to imagine that in these considerations Princes either ought of duty to revoke all such kinde of Grants though made with very special respect to the extraordinary merit of certain men or might in honour demand of them the resignation of their Offices with speech to this or the like effect For as much as you A. B. by the space of many years have done us that faithful service in most important affairs for which we alwayes judging you worthy of much honour have therefore committed unto you from time to time very great and weighty Offices which hitherto you quietly enjoy we are now given to understand that certain grave and learned men have found in the Books of antient Philosophers divers Arguments drawn from the common light of Nature and declaring the wonderful discommodities which use to grow by Dignities thou heaped together in one For which cause at this present moved in conscience and tender care for the Publick good we have summoned you hither to dis-possess you of those Places and to depose you from those rooms whereof indeed by vertue of our own Grant yet against Reason you are possessed Neither ought you or any other to think us rash light or inconstant in so doing For we tell you plain that herein we will both say and do that thing which the noble and wife Emperour sometime both said and did in a matter of fair less weight than this Quod inconsultò semicus consultò revocamus That which we unadvisedly have done we advisedly will revoke and undo Now for mine own part the greatest harm I would wish them who think that this were consonant with equity and right is that they might but live where all things are with such kinde of Justice ordered till experience have taught them to see their errour As for the last thing which is incident into the cause whereof we speak namely what course were the best and safest whereby to remedy such evils as the Church of God may sustain where the present liberty of Law is turned to great abuse some light we may receive from abroad not unprofitable for direction of God's own sacred House and Family The Romans being a People full of generosity and by nature courteous did no way more shew their gentle disposition than by easie condescending to see their Bond-men at liberty Which benefit in the happier and better times of the Common-wealth was bestowed for the most part as an ordinary reward of Vertue some few now and then also purchasing freedom with that which their just labours could gain and their honest frugality save But as the Empire daily grew up so the manners and conditions of men decayed Wealth was honoured and Vertue not cared for neither did any thing seem opprobrious out of which there might arise commodity and profit so that it could be no marvel in a State thus far degenerated if when the more ingenious sort were become base the baser laying aside all shame and face of honesty did some by Robberies Burglaries and prostitution of their Bodies gather wherewith to redeem liberty others obtain the same at the hands of their Lords by serving them as vile Instruments in those attempts which had been worthy to be revenged with ten thousand deaths A learned judicious and polite Historian having mentioned so soul disorders giveth his judgment and censure of them in this sort Such eye-sores in the Common-wealth have occasioned many vertuous mindes to condemn altogether the custom of granting liberty to any Bond-slave for as much as it seemed a thing absurd that a People which commands all the World should consist of so vile Reffuse But neither is this the onely customs wherein the profitable inventions of former are depraved by later Ages and for my self I am not of their opinion that wish the abrogation of so grosly used Customs which abrogation might peradventure be cause of greater inconveniencies ensuing but as much as may be I would rather advise that redress were sought through the careful providence of Chief Rulers and Over-seers of the Common-wealth by whom a yearly survey being made of all that are manumissed they which seem worthy might be taken and divided into Tribes with other Citizens the rest dispersed into Colonies abroad or otherwise disposed of that the Common-wealth might sustain neither harm nor disgrace by them The ways to meet with disorders growing by abuse of Laws are not so intricate and secret especially in our case that men should need either much advertisement or long time for the search thereof And if counsel to that purpose may seem needful this Church God be thanked is not destitute of men endued with ripe judgment whensoever any such thing shall be thought necessary For which end at this present to propose any special inventions of my own might argue in a man of my Place and Calling more presumption perhaps than wit I will therefore leave it intire unto graver consideration ending now with request onely and most earnest sute first that they which give Ordination would as they tender the very honour of Jesus Christ the safety of men and the endless good of their own Souls take heed lest unnecessarily and through their default the Church be found worse or less furnished than it might be Secondly that they which by right of Patronage have power to present unto Spiritual Livings and may in that respect much damnifie the Church of God would for the ease of their own account in that dreadful day somewhat consider what it is to betray for gain the Souls which Christ hath redeemed with blood what to violate the sacred Bond of Fidelity and Solemn promise given at the first to God and his Church by them from whose original interest together with the self-same Title of Right the same Obligation of Duty likewise is descended Thirdly that they unto whom the granting of Dispensations is committed or which otherwise have any stroke in the disposition of such Preferments as appertsin unto Learned men would bethink themselves what it is to respect any thing either above or besides Merit considering how hardly the World taketh it when to men of commendable note and quality there is so little respect had or
Affection or the grief which the danger of their Opinion bred him Their Opinion was dangerous was not theirs also who thought the Kingdome of Christ should be Earthly was not theirs which thought the Gospel onely should be preached to the Jewes What more opposite to Prophetical Doctrine concerning the comming of Christ than the one concerning the Catholick Church than the other Yet they which had these Fancies even when they had them were not the worst men in the World The Heresie of Free-will was a milstone about the Pelagians neck shall we therefore give Sentence of Death inevitable against all those Fathers in the Greek Church which being mis-perswaded dyed in the Errour of Free-will Of these Galatians therefore which first were justified and then deceived as I can see no cause why as many as dyed before admonition might not by mercy be received even in errour so I make no doubt but as many as lived till they were admonished found the mercy of God effectual in converting them from their errour lest any one that is Christ's should perish Of this I take it there is no Controversie Only against the Salvation of them that dyed though before admonition yet in errour it is objected that their opinion was a very plain direct denial of the foundation If Paul and Barnabas had been so perswaded they would haply have used the terms otherwise speaking of the Masters themselves who did first set that errour abroach Certain of the Sect of the Pharisees which believed What difference was there between these Pharisees and other Pharisees from whom by a special description they are distinguished but this These which came to Antioch teaching the necessity of Circumcision were Christians the other enemies of Christianity Why then should these be tenned so distinctly Believers if they did directly deny the foundation of our Belief besides which there was no other thing that made the rest to be no Believers We need go no farther than Saint Paul's very reasoning against them for proof of this matter Seeing you know God or rather are known of God how turn you again to impotent Rudiments the Law engendreth Servants her Children are in bondage They which are begotten by the Gospel are free Brethren we are not Children of the Servant but of the Free-woman and will ye yet be under the Law That they thought it unto Salvation necessary for the Church of Christ to observe dayes and months and times and years to keep the Ceremonies and Sacraments of the Law this was their errour Yet he which condemneth their errour confesseth that notwithstanding they knew God and were known of him he taketh not the honour from them to be termed Sonnes begotten of the immortal seed of the Gospel Let the heaviest words which he useth be weighed consider the drift of those dreadful Conclusions If ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing As many as are justified by the Law are fallen from Grace It had been to no purpose in the World so to urge them had not the Apostle been perswaded that at the hearing of such Sequels No benefit by Christ a defection from Grace their hearts would tremble and quake within them And why because that they knew that in Christ and in Grace their Salvation lay which is a plain direct acknowledgement of the Foundation Lest I should herein seem to hold that which no one learned or godly hath done let these words be considered which import as much as I affirm Surely those Brethren which in Saint Pauls time thought that God did lay a necessity upon them to make choyse of dayes and meats spake as they believed and could not but in words condemn the liberty which they supposed to be brought in against the Authority of Divine Scripture Otherwise it had been needlesse for Saint Paul to admonish them not to condemn such as eat without scrupulosity whatsoever was set before them This errour if you weigh what it is of it self did at once overthrow all Scriptures whereby we are taught Salvation by Faith in Christ all that ever the Prophets did soretell all that ever the Apostles did preach of Christ it drew with it the denial of Christ utterly Insomuch that Saint Paul complaineth that his labour was lost upon the Galatians unto whom this errour was obtruded affirming that Christ if so be they were circumcised should not profit them any thing at all Yet so farr was Saint Paul from striking their names out of Christ's book that he commandeth others to entertain them to accept with singular humanity to use them like Brethren he knew man's imbecillity he had a feeling of our blindnesse which are mortal men how great it is and being sure that they are the Sonnes of God whosoever be endued with his fear would not have them counted Enemies of that whereunto they could not as yet frame themselves to be Friends but did ever upon a very Religious affection to the Truth willingly reject the truth They acknowledged Christ to be their onely and perfect Saviour but saw not how repugnant their believing the necessity of Mosaical Ceremonies was to their Faith in Jesus Christ. Hereupon a reply is made that if they had not directly denied the foundation they might have been saved but saved they could not be therefore their opinion was not onely by consequent but directly a denial of the foundation When the question was about the possibility of their Salvation their denying of the foundation was brought to prove that they could not be saved now that the Question is about their denial of the foundation the impossibility of their Salvation is alledged to prove they denied the foundation Is there nothing which excludeth men from Salvation but onely the foundation of Faith denied I should have thought that besides this many other things are death unto as many as understanding that to cleave thereunto was to fall from Christ did notwithstanding cleave unto them But of this enough Wherefore I come to the last Question Whether that the Doctrin of the Church of Rome concerning the necessity of Works unto Salvation be a direct denial of our Faith 27. I seek not to obtrude unto you any private Opinion of mine own the best learned in our profession are of this Judgement That all the corruptions of the Church of Rome do not prove her to deny the Foundation directly if they did they should grant her simply to be no Christian Church But I supopose saith one that in the Papacy some Church remaineth a Church crazed or if you will broken quite in pieces forlorn mishapen yet some Church his reason is this Antichrist must sit in the Temple of God Lest any man should think such Sentences as these to be true onely in regard of them whom that Church is supposed to have kept by the special providence of God as it were in the secret corners of his Bosome free from infection and as sound in the
sequehaneur usque to nequaquam dissenseruat quoud Victor Episcopus Romanus supra modum iracundiâ— inflamnaths omâ—cs in AsiaÌ„ quetant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellaâ—i excommunicaverit Ob quod â—ictum Ireâ—â—no Episcopus Lugdunt in Victorem per Epelosem graviter invectus est Euseb. de vira Constant. lib. 3. cap. 19. Quid preslabilias quidve augustius esse poterat quam uâ— hoc sestum per quod shem immortalicatis noble essentarâ—m hâ—bemuâ— uno moilo ratione apud omnes integre slaceâ—eque observaretur Ac primum omnium indignum plane videbettir ut ritum conâ—erudinem imicantes Iurizoruin qui quoniam suâ—s ipsorum manus imâ—â—al scelete pollueruaâ—r meâ—iro ut seeleÌ„stos â—ecet caeco animorum errore tenentâ—r irretiti islud sâ—slum sanctissimum ageremus In nostra enim situtâ— est poteflare ut illorum more rejecâ—o verioâ—e ac mâ—giâ—â—â—ncero institute quod quidem usque à passionis die hactenus recoluimus hujus festi celebrationem ad posterorum seculorum memoriam propagemus Nistil igitur siâ— nobis cum Judeorum turba omneâ—â—â— odlusa maxime Their Exception against such Ceremonies as have been abused by the Church of Rome and are said in that respect to be scandalous Matth. 18. 6. 1 Pet. 2. 8. 2 Sam. 12. 13. Rom. 2. 14. Ezek. 36. 20. Tertul. lib. de Virgin Veland Epist. aâ— Leâ—ndrum Hisp. Hon. 11. de Pasch. Idolatriae consuetudo in rantum hominiâ— occoecâ—verat ut Solis Lunae Martis atque Mercurii Jovis Veneris Saturni diversâ—s Elementorum ac Daemonum appellationibus dies vociâ—aâ—ent luci tenebrarum nomen impâ—nerent â—â—da de ratione temp cap. 4. Octavus dits Idem primus est ad quem reditur indeque rutius Hehdemada inchoâ—tur His nomina â— planetis Gentilitas indidiâ— ha bere se credentes à Sole Spiritum à Luna corpus à Marte sangulnem à Mercurlo ingenium linguam à â—oâ—e temperanuam à Venere voluptatem à Saturno â—arditaâ—em Isid. Hisp. lib. 5. Reymol cap. 32. Dies dicti à Diis quorum nomina Romani quibuscam syderibus sactaveâ—uni 1 Cor. 6. 12. Rom. 14. 19. â— Vile Harme nop lib. 1. cit 1. sect 28. T. C. lib. 3. p. 178. * T. C. lib. 3. p. 177. It is not so convenient that the Minister having so many necessary points to bestow his time in should be driven to spend it in giving warning of not abusing them of which although they were used to the best there is no probe Our Ceremonies excepted against for that some Churches Reformed before ours have cast cut those things which we notwithstanding their example to the contrary do retain still a T. C. lib 1. p. 133. b 1 Cor. 16. 1. c Can. â—â— The Canon of that Council which is here cicâ—â— doth provide against â—neeling as Prayer on Sundays or for fifty days after Easter on any day and not at the Feast of Pentecost onely d T. C. lib 1. â—â— 182. 183. e Rom. 15.5.7 f 1 Cor. 14. 37. Respon ad Med. a T. C. lib. 1. p. 133. And therefore St. Paul to establish this order in the Church of Corinth that they should make their Gatherings for the Poor upon the first day of the Sabbath which is our Sunday alledgeth this for a Reason that he had so ordained in other Churches b 1 Cor. 16. 1. T. C. lib. 3. p. 133. So that as children of one Father and servants of one Master he will have all the Churches not onely have one â—ict In that they have one word but also wear as it were one Livery in using the same Ceremonies T. C. lib. 1. p. 133. This Rule did the Great Council of Nice fâ—llow c. Die Domini â— per omnem Pentecestem nec de genien be adorare jejunium solvere c. De Cirâ— Miluâ—s T. C. lib. 3. p. 133. If the Ceremonies be alike commodious the latter Churches shou'd conform themselves to the first c. And again The fewer ought to conform themselves unto the more Rom. 16 5. 1 Cor. 14 35. T. C. lib. 3. p. 183. Our Church ought either to shew that they have done evil or else she is sound to be insault that doth not conform her self in that which she cannot deny to be well abrogated A Declaration of the proceedings of the Church of England for establishment of things as they are T. C. lib. 2. p. 29. It may well be their purpose was by that temper of Popish Ceremonies with the Gospel partly the easilier to drew the Papists to the Gospel c partly to redeem Peace thereby T.C. lib. 3. p. 33. T.C. lib. 3. p. 33. August Epist. 118. T. C. lib. 3. p. 131. For indeed it were more sase for us to conform our indifferent Ceremonies to the Turks which are far off then to the Papish which are so near True Religion is the Root of all true Vertues and the stay of all wel-ordered Commonwealâ— a Psal. 144. 1. C. Th. lib. 16. lit 2 Gaudere c gioriare eâ— fide semper volumus scient â— magio relâ—gionibus quaim officiio is labore corporis â—el sudore sosâ—ram rempublicam concineri b Est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Magâ— Moral lib. 1. cap. 1. c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo de Dec. Precept d 2 Chro. 1â— 6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Ethic. lib. 1. cap. 2. Eccles. 12. 10. Wisd. 17.13 Psal. 1. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Ethic. lib. 1. cap. 10. Cas. de Bell. Gâ—â— lib. 6. 2. Wisd. 14.13 1 Chro. 19. 17. The most extream opposite to true Religion is affected Atheism Wisd. 3.21 Such things they imagine and go astray because their own wickedness hath blinded them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arist. Ethic. lib. 6. cap. 3. Susâ—n vers 9. They turned away their minde and cast down their eyes that they might not see Heaven nor remember iust Iudgments Hat est summa delicti nolle agnoscere quim ignorare non possiâ— Cyâ—â— de Idol Vanit 2 Pet. 3.8 Jude vers 38. â—â—â— 3. 29. Vos â—relera â—â—m sli puustis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nos c cogitare pâ—ecorâ— est â— vos conscios rimetis nos etiam coâ—â—cientiam solâ—m sine qua esse non possumus Minu. Fel. in Orâ—av Summum presidium regni est justiâ—io ob apertos tumaltus religio oâ— occultos Carda de Sapien. lib. 3. Of Superstition and the Rooâ— thereof either misguided Zeal or ignorant Feat of Divine glory 2 Chron. 20. 7. Abraham thy friend Wisd. 19. 11. Mark 7.5 Of the Redress of Superstition in Gods Church and concerning the question of this Book a Rom. 12. 1 b Luke 1. 23. Four general Propositions demanding what which may reasonaâ—ly be granted concerning matters of Outward form in the exercise of true Religion And fiftly of a Rule not use nor reasonable in those cases The First Proposition touching Judgment what things are convenient in the outward publick ordering
of the New Testament See the Edition at Vienna Parâ— and Aâ—thrup Of Preaching by the Publick reading of other profitable instructions and concerning Books Apocryphal a T. C. l. 1. p 196. Neither the Homiles nor the Apocrypha are at all to be read in the Church Wherein first it is good to consider the Order which the Lord kept with his People in times past when he commanded Exod. 30. 25. that no Vessel nor no instrument either Besome or Flesh-hook or Pan should once come into the Temple but those only which were sanctified and set apart for that use And in the Book of Numbers he will have no other Trumpets blown to call the People together but those only which were set apart for that purpose Numb 10.2 * T. C. l. 1 p. 157. Besides this the Policy of the Church of God is times past is to be followed c. b Acts 13. 15. Acts 15. 21. c Justin Apol. 2. Origen Hom. 1. super Exod. â— in Judie d Concil Laâ—d c. â—9 e Concil Vasens 2. f Concl. Coâ—on par 2. g Ex. 30. 25. 32. h Exod. 40.15 i Numb 10.2 k Exod. 27. 3. 30. 36,27 28. l T. C. l. 1. p. 197. The Lord would by these Rudiments and Pâ—dagogies teach that he would have nothing brought into the Church but that which he had appointed m Esias Thesh in veron Patâ—r n Acts 15.21 o Acts 13. 15 p T. C. l. 1. 197. This Practice continued still in the Churches of God after the Apostles times as may appear by the second Apology of Iustin Martyr Idem p. 198. It was decreed in the Councel of Laodicea that nothing should be read in the Church but the Canonical Books of the Old and New Testament Afterwards as corruptions grew in the Church the reading of Homilies and of Martyrs lives was permitted But besides the evil success thereof that Use and Custom was controlled as may appear by the Councel of Collin albeit otherwise Popish The bringing in of Homilies and Martyrs lives hath thrust the Bible clean out of the Church or into a Corner The Apocalyps a T. C. l. 2. p. 381. It is untrue that simple reading is necessary in the Church A number of Churches which have no such Order of simple reading cannot be in this point charged with the breach of God's Commandment which they might be if simple reading were necessary By simple reading he meaneth the Custom of bare Reading more than the Preacher at the same time expoundeth unto the People b Colmus ad divinarum literarum commemorationem Tertul. Apol. p. 692. c Judaicorum Historiarum libri readiri sunt ab Apostolis legendi in Ecclestis Orig. in Jos. Hom. 15. d 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iustin. Apol. 2. p. 162. Factum est ut iste die Dominica Prophetica lectione jam lecta ante astate adslance qui lectionem S. Pauli proferret beâ—isimus Autistes Ambrestus c. Sulpâ— Sever. l. 3. de vita S. Mart. e Vide Concil Vâ—s â— habitum an Dom. 444. tom Concil 2. p. 19. Item Synod Laâ—d c. 16. Cypr. l. 2. epist. 5. l. 4. epist. 5. Amb. l. 1. Offic c. â— epist. 75. lib. de Helio arque jejunio cap. 20. Just. quaest 101. August quaest 33. in Num. Wâ—s Stâ—ab de rebes Ecsiast cap. 22. â—eron in â—rolâ—g Galeat Ruffinus in Symbol Apost apud Cypr. a Vâ—le Gelas. decree non Concil 2. p. 532. b Cires An. Dom. 366. c Concil Carâ—â—ag 3. c. 47. Praeâ—eâ— Sâ—ipâ—â— as Canoâ—â— câ—s nihil in Ecclesis ligatur suâ— nomine Divinarum scriprerarum Cireâ— An. Dom. 401. d Concil Vasen â— habitum An. Dom. 444. tom Concil p. 19. Si Presbyter ali qua infirmiraprehibente pee seâ—psum non potuerit praeliâ—are â—anctorum Partum Homilly à Diaconibus recitentur e Concil Carâ—tlug 3. Can. 13. Greg. Tuâ—on de gloris inâ—eâ— ca. 16. â—adria epist. ad Coral Magu f Gelas. câ—eâ— An. Do. 432. to Concil p. 451. g Concil Coâ—on celebraâ— An. Dom. 1535 paâ—â—a cap. 5. Melch. Can. â—ocor theol lib. 1â— Vir. de trâ—d â—â—se lib. 5. h In cremum â—arâ—aâ—heum sicliterrumâ— qui conceptus propitus â—atrum desiaiâ—i onibus antepodunt c. â—nde Religâ—o In Extra Hieron praes ad libros â—alom Aug de pâ—â—â—d Sanct. l. 1. c. 14. Praefat. gloss ord Lyr. ad prâ—â— Hieron in Iob. T. C. l. 2. p. 400 401. â—â—arm Conses sect 1. â—d con art 6. Lubert de pincip Christ. dougâ— Lâ—â—â—â— a The Libâ—â— of Metaphys School p. art 34. b Joseph cent App. lib. 1. c Epist. in Anâ—yâ—or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prael ad lib. Eccles. Of Preaching by Sermonsâ— and whether Sermons be the only uâ—â—llnary way of Teaching whereby men are brought to the saving knowledge of Gods Truth a Paraenet ad Gent. p. 17. b Concil Vaâ—iâ— 2. c 2. c Concil Tol. 4 cap. 11. d Rupert de Divin Offic. l. 1. c. 12 13. Isid. de Eccles Offic. l. 1. c. 10. e The libel of School part 11 T. C. lib. 2. pag. 388. Saint Paul's Writing is no more Preaching than his Pen or his Hand is his Tongue seeing they cannot be the same which cannot be made by the same Instruments f Evangelizo manu scriptione Rainol de Rom. Eccles Idolola praef ad Co. Essex g John 6.46 Mat. 16 17. 2 Cor. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 12. 3â— Acts 16. 14. What they attribute to Sermons only and what we to Reading also 2 Thes. â— 27. Colos. â— 16 John 5. 39. Isa. 8. 22. a T. C. l. 2. p. 376 377 395. b Pag. 3. 8. c Pag. 383. 2 Chro. â—â— 16 2 Chro. 34.3 Deut. 31. 13. Luke 16. 29. Exod. 14.7 John 20. 31. Prov. 1. 2,3,4 Rom. 1. 16. 2 Tim. 3. 15. T. C. l. 2. p. 376. a T. C. l. r. p. 375. b 1 Cor. 1.21 c Rom. 10.14 d Apologet. c. 18. in finc e This they did in a tongue which to all learned men amongst the Heathens and to a great part of the simplest was familiarly known as appeareth by a supplication offered unto the Emperor Iustinian wherein the Jews make request that it might be lawful for them to read the Greek Translations of the 70. Interpreters in their Synagogues as their Custom before had been Anthem 145. Cel. 10. incipit AEqaum sanc f Iâ— the Apostle uâ—eth the went 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a â— c. â— â— p. 373. This sayle of Readers The Bishops more than beggerly Preseâ—ts Those Rascal Ministers b T C. l. a. p. 37. c John 3. 39. d Gal. 1. 9. 1. Tim. 3 16. Heb. 4. 12. a T. C. l 2. p. 381. b Prov. 29.18 c T. C. l. a. p. 379. d 2 Cor. 2.16 e 2 Tim. 2 15. f Matth 16.19 g 1 Cor. 3. 6. h T. C. l. 2. p. 380. No Salvation to be looked for where no Preaching is i â— C. C. l. 2. p. 364. T. C. l. 2. p. 395.
three Synods consisting of many Elderships Deacons Women Church-servants or Widows free consent of the people unto actions of greatest moment after they be by Churches or Synods orderly resolved All this Form of Polity if yet we may term that a form of building when men have laid a few Rafters together and those not all of the foundest neither but howsoever all this Form they conclude is prescribed in such sort that to adde to it any thing as of like importance for so I think they mean or to abrogate of it any thing at all is unlawful In which resolution if they will firmly and constantly persist I see not but that concerning the points which hitherto have been disputed of they must agree that they have molested the Church with needless opposition and henceforward as we said before betake themselves wholly unto the tryal of particulars whether every of those things which they esteem as principal be either so esteemed of or at all established for perpetuity in holy Scripture and whether any particular thing in our Church Polity be received other then the Scripture alloweth of either in greater things or in smaller The Matters wherein Church Polity is conversant are the Publick Religious Duties of the Church as the Administration of the Word and Sacraments Prayers Spiritual Censures and the like To these the Church standeth always bound Laws of Polity are Laws which appoint in what manner these duties shall be performed In performance whereof because all that are of the Church cannot joyntly and equally work the first thing in Polity required is A difference of Persons in the Church without which difference those Functions cannot in orderly sort be executed Hereupon we hold That Gods Clergy are a State which hath been and will be as long as there is a Church upon Earth necessarily by the plain Word of God himself a State whereunto the rest of Gods people must be subject as touching things that appertain to their Souls health For where Polity is it cannot but appoint some to be Leaders of others and some to be led by others If the blinde lead the blinde they both perish It is with the Clergy if their persons be respected even as it is with other men their quality many times far beneath that which the dignity of their place requireth Howbeit according to the Order of Polity they being The lights of the World others though better and wiser must that way be subject unto them Again for as much as where the Clergy are any great multitude order doth necessarily require that by degrees they be distinguished we hold there have ever been and ever ought to be in such case at leastwise two sorts of Ecclesiastical Persons the one subordinate unto the other as to the Apostles in the beginning and to the Bishops always since we finde plainly both in Scripture and in all Ecclesiastical Records other Ministers of the Word and Sacraments have been Moreover it cannot enter into any Mans conceit to think it lawful that every man which listeth should take upon him charge in the Church and therefore a solemn admittance is of such necessity that without it there can be no Church Polity A number of Particularities there are which make for the more convenient Being of these Principal and Perpetual parts in Ecclesiastical Polity but yet are not of such constant use and necessity in Gods Church Of this kinde are times and places appointed for the Exercise of Religion Specialties belonging to the Publick Solemnity of the Word the Sacraments and Prayer the Enlargement or Abridgement of Functions Ministerial depending upon those two Principals beforementioned To conclude even whatsoever doth by way of Formality and Circumstance concern any Publick Action of the Church Now although that which the Scripture hath of things in the former kinde be for ever permanent yet in the latter both much of that which the Scripture teacheth is not always needful and much the Church of God shall always need which the Scripture teacheth not So as the Form of Polity by them set down for perpetuity is three ways faulty Faulty in omitting some things which in Scripture are of that nature as namely the difference that ought to be of Pastors when they grow to any great multitude Faulty in requiring Doctors Deacons Widows and such like as things of perpetual necessity by the Law of God which in Truth are nothing less Faulty also in urging some things by Scripture Immutable as their Lay-Elders which the Scripture neither maketh Immutable nor at all teacheth for any thing either we can as yet finde or they have hitherto been able to prove But hereof more in the Books that follow As for those marvellous Discourses whereby they adventure to argue That God must needs have done the thing which they imagine was to be done I must confess I have often wondred at their exceeding boldness herein When the question is Whether God have delivered in Scripture as they affirm he hath a compleat particular Immutable Form of Church Polity why take they that other both presumptuous and superfluous labor to prove he should have done it there being no way in this case to prove the Deed of God saving onely by producing that evidence wherein he hath done it But if there be no such thing apparent upon Record they do as if one should demand a Legacy by force and vertue of some Written Testament wherein there being no such thing specified he pleadeth That there it must needs be and bringeth arguments from the love or good will which always the Testator bore him imagining that these or the like proofs will convict a Testament to have that in it which other men can no where by reading finde In matters which concern the Actions of God the most dutiful way on our part is to search what God hath done and with meekness to admire that rather then to dispute what he in congruity of Reason ought to do The ways which he hath whereby to do all things for the greatest good of his Church are more in number then we can search other in Nature then that we should presume to determine which of many should be the fittest for him to chuse till such time as we see he hath chosen of many some one which one we then may boldly conclude to be the fittest because he hath taken it before the rest When we do otherwise surely we exceed our bounds who and where weare we forget And therefore needful it is that our Pride in such cases be contrould and our Disputes beaten back with those Demands of the blessed Apostle How unsearchable are his Iudgments and his Ways past finding out Who hath known the Minde of the Lord or who was his Counsellor OF THE LAWS OF Ecclesiastical Polity BOOK IV. Concerning their Third Assertion That our Form of Church-Politie is corrupted with Popish Orders Rites and Ceremonies banished out of certain Reformed Churches whose example
therein we ought to have followed The Matter contained in this Fourth Book 1. HOw great use Ceremonies have in the Church 2. The First thing they blame in the kinde of our Ceremonies is that we have not in them ancient Apostolical simplicity but a greater pomp and stateliness 3. The second that so many of them are the same which the Church of Rome useth and the Reasons which they bring to prove them for that cause blame-worthy 4. How when they go about to expound what Popish Ceremonies they mean they contradict their own Argument against Popish Ceremonies 5. An Answer to the Argument whereby they would prove that sith we allow the customs of our Fathers to be followed we therefore may not allow such customs as the Church of Rome hath because we cannot account of them which are in that Church as of our Fathers 6. To their Allegation that the course of Gods own wisdom doth make against our conformity with the Church of Rome in such things 7. To the example of the eldest Church which they bring for the same purpose 8. That it is not our best Politie as they pretend it is for establishment of sound Religion to hâ—ve in these things no agreement with the Church of Rome being unsound 9. That neither the Papists upbraiding us as furnished out of their store nor any hope which in that respect they are said to conceive doth make any more against our Ceremonies then the former Allegations have done 10. The grief which they say godly Brethren conceive at such Ceremonies as we have câ—â—â—men with the Church of Rome 11. The third thing for which they reprove a great part of our Ceremonies is for that as we have them from the Church of Rome so that Church had them from the Jews 12. The fourth for that sundry of them have been they say abused unto Iâ—â—aery and arâ— by that mean become scandalous 13. The fifth for that we retain them still notwithstanding the example of certain Churches reformed before us which have cast them out 14. A Declaration of the proceedings of the Church of England â—or the establisement of things as they are SUch was the ancient simplicity and softness of spirit which sometimes prevailed in the World that they whose words were even as Oracles amongst men seemed evermore loth to give sentence against any thing publiquely received in the Church of God except it were wonderful apparently evil for that they did not so much encline to that seventy which delighteth to reprove the least things in seeth amiss as to that Charity which is unwilling to behold any thing that duty bindeth it to reprove The state of this present Age wherein Zeal hath drowned Charity and Skill Meekness will not now suffer any man to marvel whatsoever he shall hear reproved by whomsoever Those Rites and Ceremonies of the Church therefore which are the self-same now that they were when Holy and Vertuous men maintained them against profane and deriding Adversaries her own children have at this day in deâ—ision Whether justly or no it shall then appear when all things are heard which they have to alledge against the outward received Orders of this Church Which inasmuch as themselves do compare unto Mint and Cummin granting them to be no part of those things which in the matter of Polity are weightier we hope that for small things their strife will neither be earnest noâ— long The fifting of that which is objected against the Orders of the Church in particular doth not belong unto this place Here we are to discuss onely those general exceptions which have been taken at any time against them First therefore to the end that their nature and use whereunto they serve may plainly appear and so afterwards their quality the better be discerned we are to note that in every grand or main publique duty which God requireth at the hands of his Church there is besides that matter and form wherein the essence thereof consisteth a certain outward fashion whereby the same is in decent sort administred The substance of all religious actions is delivered from God himself in few words For example sake in the Sacraments Unto the Element let the Word be added and they both do make a Sacrament saith S. Augustine Baptism is given by the Element of Water and that prescript form of words which the Church of Christ doth use the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Christ is administred in the Elements of Bread and Wine if those mystical words be added thereunto But the due and decent form of administring those holy Sacraments doth require a great deal more The end which is aimed at in setting down the outward form of all religious actions is the edification of the Church Now men are edified when either their understanding is taught somewhat whereof in such actions it behoveth all men to consider or when their hearts are moved with any affection suitable thereunto when their mindes are in any sort stirred up unto that reverence devotion attention and due regard which in those cases seemeth requisite Because therefore unto this purpose not onely speech but sundry sensible means besides have always been thought necessary and especially those means which being object to the eye the liveliest and the most apprehensive sense of all other have in that respect seemed the sittest to make a deep and strong impression from hence have risen not only a number of Prayers Readings Questionings Exhortings but even of visible signs also which being used in perfomance of holy actions are undoubtedly most effectual to open such matter as men when they know and remember carefully must needs be a great deal the better informed to what effect such duties serve We must not think but that there is some ground of Reason even in Nature whereby it cometh to pass that no Nation under Heaven either doth or ever did suffer publike actions which are of weight whether they be Civil and Temporal or else Spiritual and Sacred to pass without some visible solemnity The very strangeness whereof and difference from that which is common doth cause Popular eyes to observe and to mark the same Words both because they are common and do not so strongly move the phansie of man are for the most part but slightly heard and therefore with singular wisdom it hath been provided that the deeds of men which are made in the presence of Witnesses should pass not only with words but also with certain sensible actions the memory whereof is far more easie and durable then the memory of speech can be The things which so long experience of all Ages hath confirmed and made profitable let not us presume to condemn as follies and toys because we sometimes know not the cause and reason of them A wit disposed to scorn whatsoever it doth not conceive might ask wherefore Abraham should say to his servant Put thy hand under my thigh and swear was it not sufficient