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A48307
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A comparison of the Parliamentary protestation with the late canonicall oath and the difference betwixt them as also the opposition betwixt the doctrine of the Church of England and that of Rome : so cleared that they who made scruple of the oath may cheerfully and without doubt addresse themselves to take the protestation : as also a fvrther discvssion of the case of conscience touching receiving the sacrament of the Lords Supper, when either bread or wine is wanting or when by antipathy or impotence the party that desires it cannot take it : wherein the impiety, injury and absurdity of the popish halfe communion is more fully declared and confuted : both which discourses were occasioned by a letter of a lay-gentle-man, lately written to the authour for his satisfaction touching the matters fore-mentioned / by John Ley ...
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Ley, John, 1583-1662.
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1641
(1641)
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Wing L1872; ESTC R11663
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46,713
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56
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of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovations within this Realm contrary to the same doctrine and according to the duty of my Allegiance His Maiesties Royall Person Honour and Estate As also the power and priviledges of Parliaments The lawfull Rights and Liberties of the Subiects and every person that maketh this Protestation in whatsoever he shall doe in the lawfull pursuance of the same And to my power and as farre as lawfully I may I will oppose and by all good wayes and means endeavour to bring to condigne punishment all such as shall either by force practice counsels plots conspiracies or otherwise doe any thing to the contrary of any thing in this present Protestation contained And further that I shall in all iust and honourable wayes indeavour to preserve the union and peace betwixt the three Kingdoms of England Scotland and Ireland And neither for hope feare nor other respect shall relinquish this Promise Vow and Protestation Wheras some doubts have been raised by severall persons out of this House concerning the meaning of these words contained in the Protestation lately made by the members of this House viz. the true reformed pâ—otestant Religion expressed in the Doctrin of the Church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovations within this Realm contrary to the same Doctrine This House doth declare that by those words was and is meant only the publike Doctrine professed in the said Church so farre as it is opposite to Popery and Popish Innovations and that the said words are not to be extended to the maintaining of any firme of worship discipline or Governement nor of any Rites or Ceremonies of the said Church of England If it were so that the doubts of the Oath stood up as your Quere hath it against the Protestation or that they were an invitation of scruples against it it were not my fault for my book of doubts was made though not printed before there was any intimation or expectation of a Parliament especially by those whose mansion is so remote from the mysteries of State so farre below the orbe of the highest Intelligence as mine is 2. I doubt not to make it plain that the differencies betwixt the Parliamentary Protestation and the Canonicall Oath are so many and so weighty that a man may with good conscience and discretion suspect much perill in taking the Oath and be well assured of the safety in taking the Protestation composed in the Parliament Reall differencies betwixt the Protestation of the Parliament and the Oath of the Canon first in the matter of them both the Doctrine established THe differences betwixt the Protestation of the Parliament and Oath of the Synod are Reall and Personall The Reall are such as concern the matter and forme of them both The matter wheron you ground the chief cause of your doubting I shall distinguish into that which is common to them both and that which is peculiar to either That which is common to both is the asserting of the Doctrine established in the Church of England especially as in opposition to Popish Doctrine wherof as it is set down in the Canon there be three doubts 1. c What is meant by the Church of England 2. d What is meant by Popish Doctrine 3. e What establishment of Doctrine is here mâ—ant and how farre it may be said to be established which doubts with their reasons whosoever reads with an impartiall and unprejudiced apprehension will never apply to the Protestation of the Parliament And in what sence we may well understand these words in the printed Protestation though I will not take upon me to interpret it except for satisfaction to my self and to such as require my Judgement of it in my conceipt is very clear especially by the Declaration annexed to many printed copies of that Protestation though that which you sent me came forth without it in this tenour by these words The true reformed Protestant Religion expressed in the Doctrine of the church of England against all Popery and Popish Innovations within this Realme contrary to the same Doctrine was and is meant only the publike Doctrine professed in the church of England so farre as it is opposite to Popery and Popish Innovations And that is as I take it without taking upon me the Authority of an Interpreter of it save as before I have said the Doctrin contained in the 39. Articles For First that is the most publick Doctrin of the Church because in the Church of every Parish all that are admitted into Benefices must publiâ—ly read the 39. Articles unto the people within the first month of their admission to them upon perill of loosing their livings by falling into lapse 2. That Doctrin is most professedly the Doctrin of the Church of England for all Doctours and teachers of the Church are bound so farre to professe it as to subscribe unto those Articles without which subscription they are not to be allowed for publike Preachers or teachers at least not admitted into pastorall charges in the Church of England 3. The Doctrin of those Articles is most opposite to Popery and popish Innovations for they were framed and tempered of purpose for an Antidote to Popery in the Raign of Queen Elizabeth about four yeers after her coming to the Crown for she began her f raigne November 17. 1558. and in 1562. were these Articles concluded on to be the publike and professed Doctrine of the Church of England This Doctrine and these Articles are in congruity of right Reason to be intended in this Protestation Yet not all of them neither though none of them be denied or renounced but onely those which are opposite to Popery and popish Innovation as these that follow The Protestant Doctrin of the Church of England The Popish Doctrine opposite unto it Art 6.  2 Holy Scripture containeth all things necessary to Salvation a The Papists joyne traditions unwritten as of equall authority with the written word In the name of the holy Scriptures wée doe understand those canonicall bookes of the old and new Testament of whose authority was never any doubt in the Church i. e. al the books of the old Testament from Genesis to Malachy as they are placed in our ordinary English Bibles and all the new Testament And the other Books as Hierom saith the Church doth read for example of life and instruction of manners but doth not apply them to establish any Doctrine and those are they which in many English Bibles begin after Malachy and end with the Maccabees b The Papists mingle Apochryphall books with the Canonicall as of the same authority with them thus lest any one should doubt what books of Scripture are to be received they are these underwritten the five books of Moses Genes Exod. Levit. Num. Deut. Ios. Iudg. Ruth foure books of Kings accounting the two books of Samuell for two of the foure two books of the Chr. Esd. 1. and
bee expected by both For first Christ blessed both Elements severally and they that so take them as he ordained them take them not with a single but a double blessing 2. The double representation works more upon the apprehension and affections in one that cometh duly prepared to receive the Sacrament and so maketh them fitter to receive Sacramentall grace with the Sacramentall signes and when men are more fitted for grace they are like to be more furnished with grace and as there is a two-fold act of faith on their part who rightly receive the Sacrament in both kinds So no doubt there is an answerable operation of grace on Gods part where the words of Salomon though spoken in another sence may be verified Two is better then one for they have a good reward for their labour Eccles. 4. 9. two Sacramentall â—ignes two faithfull receivings are better then one for they have not only a good reward but a better reward viz. two gracious refreshings from the Authour of the Sacrament and a stronger union with him then is made by one signe or one act of receiving of the Sacrament l as by this entire receiving of the Sacrament there is a strâ—nger union betwixt the mysticall body and the head then where the Sacrament is received in one kind only And that there is lesse benefit by one Element then by both as hath been said is implicitly confessed in the Tridentine Councell where the Step-Fathers of Trent decreeing the defraâ—ding of their children of halfe the portion of their heavenly fathers provision for their soules say m That by keeping the Cup from them they are not deprived of any grace that is necessary to salvation Of some grace then they are deprived but not of any without which they cannot be saved But it is more plainly acknowledged by Vasquez where he saith n We grant that the Lay-people who are not allowed the Communion Cup are defrauded of some grace but none of that without which they may not be saved By the same reason they might take from them the other part of the Sacrament and so let them have no Sacrament at all for o though it be necessary that when the Sacrament of the Lords Supper is administred it be done according to his institution except in such cases of necessity as I have partly here and partly in the resolution of the Case of Conscience observed yet there is no such simple necessity of it but that a man may be saved without it which the Papists themselves will not deny and though they hold a greater necessity for salvation of the Sacrament of Baptisme then of the Eucharist yet they will not gain-say the saying of p S. Aug. that those who have not beene washed in the Laver of Regeneration if they die for confession of the Christian faith that is as availeable for remission of their sinnes as if they had been washed in the fountain of Baptisme And why should they confine the comforts of a Christian within the narrow lists of necessity to â—alvation when the Lord hath been liberall in his allowance of sweet and gracious refreshings a man may be saved and yet be distressed and troâ—bled in conscience as * Luther was for three yeers together and it may be the want of an entire Sacrament according to the Lords ordinance may be cause of much discontent to a well affected and scrupulous Christian will it stand then with the charity of those who above others affect the name of Fathers and of that Church which usurps and glories in the title of a common mother to bâ— so hard-hearted to their children as not to care how uncomfortable their condition be upon earth so they goe not to Hell for lacke of necessaries to salvation Their doctrine and practice proclaimes them such unkinde uâ—naturall Parents as uncharitable to their children in with-holding from them their spirituall aliment in an entire receipt of the blessed Sacrament as they are undutifull and disobedient to their Lord and master in breaking his commandment in their broken Communion Upon these premises it wil necessarily follow that if there were nothing to be blamed in the Service or Litâ—rgy of the Romish Church but this violation of the Lords ordinance as they make it in decree and practice notwithstanding that whole Christ may be as we have shewed received with one kind it is utterly unlawfull to receive the Sacrament as the Romanists administer it in one Element only for that were to consent unto and for his part that so doth to confirme their sinfull separation of those things which God for the good of man hath by expresse both institution and practise joyned together The third pâ—rticulâ—â— of scandall answered TOwards the conclusion of your Treatise wherto I may now addresse my selfe after full satisfaction I trust you will take it for no lesse to the two former particulars you professe a feare of scandall to many among us you mean Protestants who may be changed in opinion or at least offended by that passage of my case of conscience which you have selected as most worthy of exception and to the Romish-party who may vouch this concession of mine for indifferency of Communion in one kind for which cause you heartily wish that that peece of my book had been obliterated before it came to the Presse Sir I will not blame you for being chary of scandals it is too common a fault and more common in these times then in any within the compasse of mine observation to be too much addicted in self satisfaction with too little respect of others whether they stumble or stand at our sayings or doings And if you concived my words so offensive as you say you could not wish any lesse unto them then the dash of a pen which mine owne hand should have made if I had conceived any suspition that they did deserve it But I hope by this time you well understand that you were more afraid then any could be hurt by that I have written Yet I deny not but there be some who are either so uncapable of religious reason especially in problematicall discussionâ— or so captiously perverse as to turn most saving truths into matter of scandall els a Alphonsus a Castro could not have counted thirteen Heresies concerning the Sacrament of the Eucharist as he hath done And for the Papists in particular they are the lesse to be heeded because they are knowne to make no conscience of corrupting wresting and misapplying of the writings of the Protestants Wherin they seeme sometimes to take the Divelâ— practice for their â—â—tterne who alleadging a Text of angelicall protection out of the 91. Psalm when he tempted our Savioâ—r to cast himselfe down from the Pinacle of the Temple b left out the words which were most peâ—â—nent to repell his temptation So do c Quirinus Cnoglerus d Peâ—rus Ludsemius and e Franciscus Longus deale with Calvine