narrow roome as that it should bee able to direct vs but in principall points of our Religion or as though the substance of Religion or some rude and vnfashioned matter of building the Church were vttered in them and those things left out that should pertaine to the forme and fashion of it let the cause of the accused bee referred to the accusers owne conscience and let that iudge whether this accusation be deserued where it hath bene layd 5 But so easie it is for euery man liuing to erre and so hard to wrest from any mans mouth the plaine acknowledgement of error that what hath beene once inconsiderately defended the same is commonly persisted in as long as wit by whetting it selfe is able to finde out any shift bee it neuer so sleight whereby to escape out of the handes of present contradiction So that it commeth here in to passe with men vnaduisedly fallen into errour as with them whose state hath no ground to vphold it but onely the helpe which by subtle conueyance they drawe out of casuall euents arising from day to day till at length they be cleane spent They which first gaue out that Nothing ought to be established in the Church which is not commanded by the word of God thought this principle plainely warranted by the manifest words of the lawe Ye shall put nothing vnto the word which I commaund you neither shall ye take ought therefrom that ye may keepe the commaundements of the Lord your God which I commaund you Wherefore hauing an eye to a number of rites and orders in the Church of England as marrying with a ring crossing in the one Sacrament kneeling at the other obseruing of festiuall dayes moe then onely that which is called the Lords day inioyning abstinence at certaine times from some kindes of meate churching of women after Child birth degrees taken by diuines in Vniuersities sundry Church-offices dignities and callings for which they found no commaundement in the holy Scripture they thought by the one onely stroke of that axiome to haue cut them off But that which they tooke for an Oracle being sifted was repeld True it is concerning the word of God whether it be by misconstruction of the sense or by falsification of the words wittingly to endeuour that any thing may seeme diuine which is not or any thing not seeme which is were plainely to abuse and euen to falsifie diuine euidence which iniury offered but vnto men is most worthily counted haâ—nous Which point I wish they did well obserue with whom nothing is more familiar then to plead in these causes The law of God The word of the Lord who notwithstanding when they come to alleage what word and what lawe they meane their common ordinarie practise is to quote by-speeches in some historicall narration or other and to vrge them as if they were written in most exact forme of law What is to adde to the lawe of God if this bee not When that which the word of God doth but deliuer historically we conster without any warrant as if it were legally meant and so vrge it further then we can proue that it was intended do we not adde to the lawes of God and make them in number seeme moe then they are It standeth vs vpon to be carefull in this case For the sentence of God is heauy against them that wittingly shall presume thus to vse the Scripture 6 But let that which they doe hereby intend bee graunted them let it once stand as consonant to reason that because wee are forbidden to adde to the lawe of God any thing or to take ought from it therefore wee may not for matters of the Church make any lawe more then is already set downe in Scripture who seeth not what sentence it shall enforce vs to giue against all Churches in the world in as much as there is not one but hath had many things established in it which though the Scripture did neuer commaund yet for vs to condemne were rashnesse Let the Church of God euen in the time of our Sauior Christ serue for example vnto all the rest In their domesticall celebration of the passeouer which supper they deuided as it were into two courses what Scripture did giue commaundement that betweene the first and the second he that was Chiefe should put off the residue of his garments and keeping on his feast-robe onely wash the feete of them that were with him What Scripture did command them neuer to lift vp their hands vnwasht in prayer vnto God which custome Aristaeus be the credite of the author more or lesse sheweth wherefore they did so religiously obserue What Scripture did commaund the Iewes euery festiuall day to fast till the sixt houre The custome both mentioned by Iosephus in the history of his owne life and by the words of Peter signified Tedious it were to rip vp all such things as were in that Church established yea by Christ himselfe and by his Apostles obserued though not commaunded any where in Scripture 7 Well yet a glosse there is to colour that paradoxe and notwithstanding all this still to make it appeare in shew not to be altogether vnreasonable And therefore till further reply come the cause is held by a feeble distinction that the commandements of God being either generall or speciall although there be no expresse word for euery thing in specialtie yet there are generall commaundements for all things to the end that euen such cases as are not in Scripture particularly mentioned might not be left to any to order at their pleasure onely with caution that nothing be done against the word of God and that for this cause the Apostle hath set downe in scripture foure generall rules requiring such things alone to be receiued in the Church as do best and neerest agree with the same rules that so all things in the Church may be appointed not onely not against but by and according to the word of God The rules are these Nothing scandalous or offensiue vnto any especially vnto the Church of God All things in order and with seemelinesse All vnto edification finally All to the glory of God Of which kind how many might be gathered out of the Scripture if it were necessary to take so much paines Which rules they that vrge minding thereby to proue that nothing may be done in the Church but what Scripture commaundeth must needs hold that they tye the Church of Christ no otherwise then onely because we find them there set downe by the finger of the holy Ghost So that vnlesse the Apostle by writing had deliuered those rules to the Church we should by obseruing them haue sinned as now by not obseruing them In the Church of the Iewes is it not graunted that the appointment of the hower for daily sacrifices the building of Synagogues throughout the land to heare the word of God and to pray in when they came not vp
of place where On the other side the later giuen after and neither written by God himselfe nor giuen vnto the whole multitude immediatly from God but vnto Moses and from him to them both by word and writing the later tearmed Ceremonies Iudgements Ordinances but no where Couenants finally the obseruation of the later restrained vnto the land where God would establish them to inhabite The Lawes positiue are not framed without regard had to the place and persons for the which they are made If therefore Almightie God in framing their Lawes had an eye vnto the nature of that people and to the countrey where they were to dwell if these peculiar and proper considerations were respected in the making of their Lawes and must be also regarded in the Positiue Lawes of all other Nations besides then seeing that Nations are not all alike surely the giuing of one kinde of positiue Lawes vnto one onely people without anie libertie to alter them is but a slender proofe that therefore one kind should in like sort bee giuen to serue euerlastingly for all But that which most of all maketh for the cleering of this point is that the Iewes who had Lawes so particularly determining and so fully instructing them in all affaires what to do were notwithstanding continually inured with causes exorbitant and such as their lawes had not prouided for And in this point much more is graunted vs then wee aske namely that for one thing which we haue left to the order of the Church they had twentie which were vndecided by the expresse word of God and that as their ceremonies and Sacraments were multiplied aboue ours euen so grew the number of those cases which were not determined by any expresse word So that if we may deuise one lawe they by this reason might deuise twentie and if their deuising so many were not forbidden shall their example proue vs forbidden to deuise as much as one lawe for the ordering of the Church Wee might not deuise no not one if their example did proue that our Sauiour hath vtterly forbidden all alteration of his lawes in as much as there can be no lawe deuised but needs it must either take away from his or adde thereunto more or lesse and so make some kind of alteration But of this so large a graunt we are content not to take aduantage Men are oftentimes in a sudden passion more liberall then they would be if they had leysure to take aduise And therefore so bountifull words of course and franke speeches we are contented to let passe without turning them vnto aduantage with too much rigour It may be they had rather be listned vnto when they commend the Kings of Israell which attempted nothing in the gouernement of the Church without the expresse word of God and when they vrge that God left nothing in his word vndescribed whether it concerned the worship of God or outward politie nothing vnset downe and therefore charged them strictly to keepe themselues vnto that without any alteration Howbeit seeing it cannot be denied but that many thinges there did belong vnto the course of their publique affaires wherein they had no expresse word at all to shew precisely what they should do the difference betweene their condition and ours in these cases will bring some light vnto the truth of this present controuersie Before the fact of the son of Shelomith there was no law which did appoint any certaine punishment for blasphemers That wretched creature being therefore deprehended in that impiety was held in ward till the mind of the Lord were knowne concerning his case The like practise is also meÌ„tioned vpon occasion of a breach of the Sabboth day They find a poore silly creature gathering stickes in the wildernes they bring him vnto Moses and Aaron and all the congregation they lay him in hold because it was not declared what should be done with him till God hath sayd vnto Moses This man shall dye the death The Law required to keepe the Sabboth but for the breach of the Sabboth what punishmeÌ„t should be inflicted it did not appoint Such occasions as these are rare And for such things as do fal scarce once in many ages of meÌ„ it did suffice to take such order as was requisite when they fell But if the case were such as being not already determined by law were notwithstanding likely oftentimes to come in question it gaue occasion of adding lawes that were not before Thus it fell out in the case of those men polluted and of the daughters of Zelophhad whose causes Moses hauing brought before the Lord receiued lawes to serue for the like in time to come The Iewes to this end had the Oracle of God they had the Prophets And by such meanes God himselfe instructed them from heauen what to do in all things that did greatly concerne their state and were not already set downe in the Lawe Shall we then hereupon argue euen against our owne experience and knowledge Shall we seeke to perswade men that of necessity it is with vs as it was with them that because God is ours in all respects as much as theirs therefore either no such way of direction hath beene at any time or if it haue bene it doth still continue in the Church or if the same do not continue that yet it must be at the least supplied by some such meane as pleaseth vs to accompt of equall force A more dutifull and religious way for vs were to admire the wisedome of God which shineth in the beautifull variety of all things but most in the manifold and yet harmonious dissimilitude of those wayes whereby his Church vpon earth is guided from age to age throughout all generations of men The Iewes were necessarily to continue till the comming of Christ in the flesh and the gathering of nations vnto him So much the promise made vnto Abraham did import So much the prophecy of Iacob at the hower of his death did foreshewe Vpon the â—afety therefore of their very outward state and condition for so long the after-good of the whole world and the saluation of all did depend Vnto their so long safety for two things it was necessary to prouide namely the preseruation of their state against forraine resistance and the continuance of their peace within themselues Touching the one as they receiued the promise of God to be the rocke of their defence against which who so did violently rush should but bruse and batter themselues so likewise they had his commaundement in all their affaires that way to seeke direction and counsell from him Mens consultations are alwayes perilous And it falleth out many times that after long deliberation those things are by their wit euen resolued on which by tryall are found most opposite to publique safety It is no impossible thing for states be they neuer so well established yet by ouersight in some one acte or treatie betweene them
other might haue But then must they shewe some commission wherby they are authorized to sit as iudges and we required to take their iudgement for good in this case Otherwise their sentences will not be greatly regarded when they oppose their Me thinketh vnto the orders of the Church of England as in the question about surplesses one of them doth If we looke to the colour blacke me thinketh is more decent if to the forme a garment downe to the foote hath a great deale more cōlinesse in it If they thinke that we ought to proue the ceremonies cōmodious which we haue reteined they do in this point very greatly deceiue themselues For in all right equity that which the Church hath receiued held so long for good that which publique approbation hath ratified must cary the benefit of presumption with it to be accompted meet and conuenient They which haue stood vp as yesterday to challenge it of defect must proue their challenge If we being defendants do answer that the ceremonies in question are godly comely decent profitable for the Church their reply is childish vnorderly to say that we demaund the thing in question shew the pouerty of our cause the goodnes wherof we are faine to begge that our aduersaries would graunt For on our part this must be the aunswere which orderly proceeding doth require The burthen of prouing doth rest on them In them it is friuolous to say we ought not to vse bad ceremonies of the Church of Rome and presume all such bad as it pleaseth themselues to dislike vnlesse we can perswade them the contrary Besides they are herin opposite also to themselues For what one thing is so common with thē as to vse the custome of the Church of Rome for an argument to proue that such such ceremonies cānot be good profitable for vs in as much as that church vseth them Which vsual kind of disputing sheweth that they do not disallow onely those Romish ceremonies which are vnprofitable but count all vnprofitable which are Romish that is to say which haue bene deuised by the Church of Rome or which are vsed in that Church and not prescribed in the word of God For this is the onely limitation which they can vse sutable vnto their other positions And therefore the cause which they yeeld why they hold it lawfull to reteine in Doctrine and in Discipline some things as good which yet are common to the Church of Rome is for that those good things are perpetual commandements in whose place no other can come but ceremonies are changeable So that their iudgement in truth is that whatsoeuer by the word of God is not changeable in the Church of Rome that Churches vsing is a cause why reformed Churches ought to change it and not to thinke it good or profitable And least we seeme to father any thing vpon them more thē is properly their owne let them reade euen their owne words where they complaine that we are thus constrained to be like vnto the Papists in Any their ceremonies yea they vrge that this cause although it were alone ought to moue them to whom that belongeth to do thē away for as much as they are their ceremonies and that the B. of Salisbury doth iustifie this their complaint The clause is vntrue which they adde concerning the B. of Salisbury but the sentence doth shew that we do them no wrōg in setting downe the state of the question betweene vs thus Whether we ought to abolish out of the Church of England all such orders rites and ceremonies as are established in the Church of Rome and are not prescribed in the word of God For the affirmatiue whereof we are now to answer such proofes of theirs as haue bene before alleaged 5 Let the Church of Rome be what it will let them that are of it be the people of God and our fathers in the Christian faith or let them be otherwise hold them for Catholiques or hold them for heretiques it is not a thing either one way or other in this present question greatly material Our conformity with thē in such things as haue bene proposed is not proued as yet vnlawfull by all this S. Augustine hath said yea and we haue allowed his saying That the custome of the people of God and the decrees of our forefathers are to be kept touching those things wherof the scripture hath neither one way nor other giuen vs any charge What then Doth it here therfore follow that they being neither the people of God nor our forefathers are for that cause in nothing to be followed This consequent were good if so be it were graunted that onely the custome of the people of God the decrees of our forefathers are in such case to be obserued But then should no other kind of later laws in the church be good which were a grosse absurdity to think S. Augustines speech therefore doth import that where we haue no diuine precept if yet we haue the custome of the people of God or a decree of our forefathers this is a law and must be kept Notwithstanding it is not denied but that we lawfully may obserue the positiue constitutions of our owne Churches although the same were but yesterday made by our selues alone Nor is there any thing in this to proue that the Church of England might not by law receiue orders rites or customes from the Church of Rome although they were neither the people of God nor yet our forefathers How much lesse when we haue receiued from them nothing but that which they did themselues receiue from such as we cannot deny to haue bene the people of God yea such as either we must acknowledge for our owne forefathers or else disdaine the race of Christ 6 The rites and orders wherein we follow the Church of Rome are of no other kind thē such as the Church of Geneua it selfe doth follow thē in We follow the church of Rome in moe things yet they in some things of the same nature about which our present controuersie is so that the difference is not in the kind but in the number of rites only wherein they and we do follow the Church of Rome The vse of wafer-cakes the custom of godfathers godmothers in baptisme are things not commanded nor forbidden in scripture things which haue bene of old are reteined in the Church of Rome euen at this very hower Is conformity with Rome in such things a blemish vnto the Church of England vnto Churches abroad an ornament Let thē if not for the reuerence they ow vnto this Church in the bowels wherof they haue receiued I trust that pretious and blessed vigor which shall quicken thē to eternall life yet at the leastwise for the singular affection which they do beare towards others take heed how they strike least they wound whom they would not For vndoubtedly it cutteth deeper thē they
simple men who knowing the time of their owne Presidentship to bee but short would alwayes stand in feare of their ministers perpetuall authoritie and among the ministers themselues one being so farre in estimation aboue the rest the voyces of the rest were likely to be giuen for the most part respectiuely with a kinde of secret dependencie and awe so that in shewe a maruellous indifferently composed Senate Ecclesiasticall was to gouerne but in effect one onely man should as the Spirite and soule of the residue doe all in all But what did these vaine surmises boote Brought they were now to so straight an issue that of two thinges they must choose one namely whether they would to their endlesse disgrace with ridiculous lightnes dismisse him whose restitution they had in so impotent maner desired or else condescende vnto that demaund wherein hee was resolute eyther to haue it or to leaue them They thought it better to be somewhat hardly yoked at home then for euer abroad discredited Wherefore in the ende those orders were on all sides assented vnto with no lesse alacritie of minde then Cities vnable to holde out longer are wont to shewe when they take conditions such as it liketh him to offer them which hath them in the narrow streightes of aduantage Not many yeares were ouerpassed before these twice sworne men aduentured to giue their last and hotest assault to the fortresse of the same discipline childishly graunting by comon consent of their whole Senate that vnder their towne seale a relaxation to one Bertelier whom the Eldership had excommunicated further also decreeing with strange absurditie that to the same Senate it should belong to giue finall iudgemēt in matter of excōmunication and to absolue whom it pleased them cleane contrary to their owne former deedes and oaths The report of which decree being forth with brought vnto Caluin Before sayth he this decree take place either my bloud or banishment shall signe it Againe two dayes before the Cōmunion should be celebrated his speech was publiquely to like effect Kill me if euer this hand do reach forth the things that are holy to thē whom THE CHVRCH hath iudged despisers Whereupon for feare of tumult the forenamed Bertelier was by his friends aduised for that time not to vse the liberty granted him by the Senate nor to present himselfe in the Church till they saw somewhat further what would ensue After the Communion quietly ministred and some likelihood of peaceable ending these troubles without any more ado that very day in the afternoone besides all mens expectation concluding his ordinary sermon he telleth them that because he neither had learned nor taught to striue with such as are in authority therefore sayth he the case so standing as now it doth let me vse these words of the Apostle vnto you I commend you vnto God the word of his grace and so bad them hartily all A dew It sometimes commeth to passe that the readiest way which a wise man hath to conquer is to flie This voluntarie and vnexpected mention of sudden departure caused presently the Senate for according to their woonted maner they still continued onely constant in vnconstancy to gather themselues together and for a time to suspend their own decree leauing things to proceed as before till they had heard the iudgement of foure Heluetian Cities concerning the matter which was in strife This to haue done at the first before they gaue assēt vnto any order had shewed some wit discretion in thē but now to do it was as much as to say in effect that they would play their parts on stage Caluin therfore dispatcheth with all expedition his letters vnto some principall pastor in euery of those cities crauing earnestly at their hands to respect this cause as a thing whereupō the whole state of religion piety in that church did so much depend that God all good men were now ineuitably certaine to be trampled vnder foot vnlesse those foure Cities by their good means might be brought to giue sentence with the ministers of Geneua when the cause should be brought before them yea so to giue it that two things it might effectually containe the one an absolute approbation of the discipline of Geneua as consonant vnto the word of God without any cautions qualifications ifs or ands the other an earnest admonition not to innouate or change the same His vehemēt request herein as touching both points was satisfied For albeit the sayd Heluetian Churches did neuer as yet obserue that discipline neuerthelesse the Senate of Geneua hauing required their iudgement concerning these three questions First after what manner by Gods commaundement according to the Scripture and vnspotted religion excommunication is to be exercised Secondly whether it may not be exercised some other way then by the Consistorie Thirdly what the vse of their Churches was to do in this case answer was returned from the sayd Churches That they had heard already of those consistoriall lawes and did acknowledge them to be godly ordinances drawing towards the prescript of the word of God for which cause that they did not thinke it good for the Church of Geneua by innouation to change the same but rather to keepe them as they were Which aunswer although not aunswering vnto the former demaunds but respecting what Maister Caluin had iudged requisite for them to aunswere was notwithstanding accepted without any further reply in as much as they plainely saw that when stomacke doth striue with wit the match is not equall And so the heat of their former contentions began to flake The present inhabitants of Geneua J hope will not take it in euill part that the faltinesse of their people heretofore is by vs so farre forth layd open as their owne learned guides and Pastors haue thought necessarie to discouer it vnto the world For out of their bookes and writings it is that I haue collected this whole narration to the end it might thereby appeare in what sort amongst them that discipline was planted for which so much contention is raised amongst our selues The reasons which mooued Caluin herein to be so earnest was as Beza himselfe testifieth for that he saw how needfull these bridles were to be put in the iawes of that Citie That which by wisedome he saw to be requisite for that people was by as great wisedome compassed But wise men are men and the truth is truth That which Caluin did for establishment of his discipline seemeth more commendable then that which he taught for the countenancing of it established Nature worketh in vs all a loue to our owne counsels The contradiction of others is a fanne to inflame that loue Our loue set on fire to maintaine that which once we haue done sharpeneth the wit to dispute to argue and by all meanes to reason for it Wherefore a maruaile it were if a man of so great capacitie hauing such incitements to make him desirous of
number gaue essence and being to the workes of nature A thing in reason impossible which notwithstanding through their misfashioned preconceipt appeared vnto them no lesse certaine then if nature had written it in the very foreheads of all the creatures of God When they of the family of loue haue it once in their heads that Christ doth not signifie any one person but a qualitie whereof many are partakers that to be raised is nothing else but to be regenerated or indued with the said quality and that when separation of them which haue it from them which haue it not is here made this is iudgement how plainely do they imagine that the Scripture euery where speaketh in the fauour of that sect And assuredly the very cause which maketh the simple and ignorant to thinke they euen see how the word of God runneth currantly on your side is that their minds are forestalled and their conceits peruerted before hand by being taught that an Elder doth signifie a lay man admitted onely to the office of rule or gouernement in the Church a Doctor one which may only teach and neither preach nor administer the Sacraments a Deacon one which hath charge of the almes boxe and of nothing else that the Scepter the rod the throne kingdome of Christ are a forme of regiment onely by Pastors Elders Doctors and Deacons that by mysticall resemblance mount Sion and Jerusalem are the Churches which admit Samaria and Babylon the Churches which oppugne the said forme of regimeÌ„t And in like sort they are taught to apply al things spoken of repairing the wals and decayed parts of the city temple of God by Esdras Nehemias the rest as if purposely the holy Ghost had therein ment to foresignifie what the authors of admonitions to the Parliament of supplications to the Councell of petitions to her Maiesty and of such other like writs should either do or suffer in behalfe of this their cause From hence they proceed to an higher point which is the perswading of men credulous ouer capable of such pleasing errors that it is the speciall illumination of the holy Ghost whereby they discerne those things in the word which others reading yet discerne them not Dearly beloued saith S. Iohn Giue not credit vnto euery Spirit There are but two wayes whereby the spirit leadeth men into 〈◊〉 truth the one extraordinarie the other common the one belonging but vnto some few the other extending it selfe vnto all that are of God the one that which we call by a speciall diuine excellency Reuelation the other Reason If the Spirit by such reuelation haue discouered vnto theÌ„ the secrets of that discipline out of Scripture they must professe themselues to be all euen men women and children Prophets Or if reason be the hand which the Spirit hath led them by for as much as perswasions grounded vpon reason are either weaker or stronger according to the force of those reasons whereupon the same are grounded they must euery of them from the greatest to the least be able for euery seuerall article to shewe some special reason as strong as their perswasion therin is earnest Otherwise how can it be but that some other sinewes there are from which that ouerplus of strength in perswasion doth arise Most sure it is that when mens affections do frame their opinions they are in defence of error more earnest a great deale then for the most part sound belieuers in the maintenance of truth apprehended according to the nature of that euidence which Scripture yeeldeth which being in some things plaine as in the principles of Christian doctrine in some things as in these matters of discipline more darke and doubtfull frameth correspondently that inward assent which Gods most gracious Spirit worketh by it as by his effectuall instrument It is not therefore the feruent earnestnes of their perswasion but the soundnes of those reasons whereupon the same is built which must declare their opinions in these things to haue bene wrought by the holy Ghost and not by the fraud of that euill Spirit which is euen in his illusions strong After that the phancie of the common sort hath once throughly apprehended the Spirit to be author of their perswasion concerning discipline then is instilled into their hearts that the same Spirit leading men into this opinion doth thereby seale them to be Gods children and that as the state of the times now standeth the most speciall token to know them that are Gods owne from others is an earnest affection that way This hath bred high termes of separation betweene such and the rest of the world whereby the one sort are named Theâ—rethren â—rethren The godly and so forth the other worldlings timeseruers pleasers of men not of God with such like From hence they are easily drawne on to thinke it exceeding necessarie for feare of quenching that good Spirit to vse all meanes whereby the same may be both strengthned in themselues and made manifest vnto others This maketh them diligent hearers of such as are knowne that way to incline this maketh them eager to take and to seeke all occasions of secret conference with such this maketh them glad to vse such as Counsellors and directors in all their dealings which are of waight as contracts testaments and the like this maketh them through an vnweariable desire of receiuing instruction from the maisters of that companie to cast off the care of those verie affaires which do most concerne their estate and to thinke that then they are like vnto Marie commendable for making choyce of the better part Finally this is it which maketh them willing to charge yea oftentimes euen to ouercharge themselues for such mens sustenance and reliefe least their zeale to the cause should any way be vnwitnessed For what is it which poore beguiled soules will not do through so powerfull incitements In which respect it is also noted that most labour hath bene bestowed to win and retaine towards this cause them whose iudgements are commonly weakest by reason of their sex And although not women loden with sinnes as the Apostle S. Paul speaketh but as we verily esteeme of them for the most part women propense and inclinable to holines be otherwise edified in good things rather then caried away as captiues into any kind of sinne and euill by such as enter into their houses with purpose to plant there a zeale and a loue towards this kind of discipline yet some occasion is hereby ministred for men to thinke that if the cause which is thus furthered did gaine by the soundnes of proofe wherupon it doth build it selfe it would not most busily endeuor to preuaile where least hability of iudgement is and therefore that this so eminent industry in making proselytes more of that sex then of the other groweth for that they are deemed apter to serue as instruments and helps in the cause Apter they are through the eagernes of their affection
that maketh them which way soeuer they take diligent in drawing their husbands children seruants friends and allies the same way apter through that naturall inclination vnto pity which breedeth in them a greater readines then in men to be bountifull towards their Preachers who suffer want apter through sundry opportunities which they especially haue to procure encouragements for their brethren finally apter through a singular delight which they take in giuing very large and particular intelligence how all neere about them stand affected as coÌ„cerning the same cause But be they women or be they men if once they haue tasted of that cup let any man of contrary opinion open his mouth to perswade them they close vp their eares his reasons they waigh not all is answered with rehearsall of the words of Iohn We are of God he that knoweth God heareth vs as for the rest ye are of the world for this worlds pompe vanity it is that ye speake and the world whose ye are heareth you Which cloake sitteth no lesse fit on the backe of their cause then of the Anabaptists when the dignitie authority and honour of Gods Magistrate is vpheld against them Shew these egerly affected men their inhabilitie to iudge of such matters their answer is God hath chosen the simple Conuince them of folly and that so plainely that very children vpbraid them with it they haue their bucklers of like defence Christs owne Apostle was accompted mad The best men euermore by the sentence of the world haue bene iudged to be out of their right minds When instruction doth them no good let them feele but the least degree of most mercifully tempered seueritie they fasten on the head of the Lords vicegerents here on earth whatsoeuer they any where find vttered against the cruelty of bloud-thirstie men and to themselues they draw all the sentences which Scripture hath in the fauour of innocencie persecuted for the truth yea they are of their due and deserued sufferings no lesse prowd then those ancient disturbers to whom S. Augustine writeth saying Martyrs rightly so named are they not which suffer for their disorder and for the vngodly breach they haue made of Christian vnitie but which for righteousnes sake are persecuted For Agar also suffered persecution at the hands of Sara wherein she which did impose was holy and she vnrighteous which did beare the buâ—then In like sort with theeues was the Lord himselfe crucified but they who were matcht in the paine which they suffered were in the cause of their sufferings disioyned If that must needs be the true Church which doth endure persecution and not that which persecuteth let them aske of the Apostle what Church Sara did represent when she held her maide in affliction For euen our mother which is free the heauenly Ierusalem that is to say the true Church of God was as he doth affirme prefigured in that very woman by whom the bondmaide was so sharply handled Although if all things be throughly skanned she did in truth more persecute Sara by prowd resistance then Sara hir by seueritie of punishment These are the pathes wherein ye haue walked that are of the ordinary sort of men these are the very steps ye haue troden and the manifest degrees whereby ye are of your guides and directors trained vp in that schoole a custome of inuring your cares with reproofe of faults especially in your gouernors an vse to attribute those faults to the kind of spirituall regiment vnder which ye liue boldnesse in warranting the force of their discipline for the cure of all such euils a slight of framing your conceipts to imagine that Scripture euery where fauoureth that discipline perswasion that the cause why ye find it in Scripture is the illumination of the spirit that the same spirit is a seale vnto you of your neernes vnto God that ye are by all meanes to nourish and witnesse it in your selues and to strengthen on euery side your minds against whatsoeuer might be of force to withdraw you from it 4. Wherefore to come vnto you whose iudgement is a lanterne of direction for all the rest you that frame thus the peoples hearts not altogether as I willingly perswade my selfe of a politique intent or purpose but your selues being first ouerborne with the waight of greater mens iudgements on your shoulders is laid the burthen of vpholding the cause by argument For which purpose sentences out of the word of God ye alleage diuerse but so that when the same are discust thus it alwayes in a manner falleth cut that what things by vertue thereof ye vrge vpon vs as altogether necessarie are found to be thence collected onely by poore and maruelous slight coniectures I need not giue instance in any one sentence so alleaged for that I thinke the instance in any alleaged otherwise a thing not easie to be giuen A verie strange thing sure it were that such a discipline as ye speake of should be taught by Christ and his Apostles in the word of God and no Church euer haue found it out nor receiued it till this present time contrariwise the gouernmeÌ„t against which ye beÌ„d your selues be obserued euery where throughout all generations and ages of the Christian world no Church euer perceiuing the word of God to bee against it Wee require you to finde out but one Church vpon the face of the whole earth that hath bene ordered by your discipline or hath not bene ordered by ours that is to say by episcopall regiment sithence the time that the blessed Apostles were here conuersant Many things out of antiquitie ye bring as if the purest times of the Church had obserued the selfesame orders which you require and as though your desire were that the Churches of olde should be paternes for vs to follow and euen glasses wherin we might see the practise of that which by you is gathered out of scripture But the truth is ye meane nothing lesse All this is done for fashions sake onely for ye complaine of it as of an iniury that meÌ„ should be willed to seeke for examples and paternes of gouernment in any of those times that haue bene before Ye plainly hold that froÌ„ the very Apostles times till this present age wherein your selues imagine ye haue found out a right patern of sound discipline there neuer was any time safe to be followed Which thing ye thus endeuour to proue Out of Egesippus ye say that Eusebius writeth how although as long as the Apostles liued the Church did remaine a pure virgin yet after the death of the Apostles and after they were once gone whom God vouchsafed to make hearers of the diuine wisedome with their owne eares the placing of wicked error began to come into the Church Clement also in a certaine place to confirme that there was corruption of doctrine immediately after the Apostles times alleageth the prouerb that There are few sonnes like their fathers Socrates
saith of the church of Rome Alexandria the most famous Churches in the Apostles times that about the yeare 430. the Romain Alexandrian Bishops leauing the sacred function were degenerate to a secular rule or dominioÌ„ HereupoÌ„ ye coÌ„clude that it is not safe to fetch our gouernment from any other then the Apostles times Wherein by the way it may be noted that in proposing the Apostles times as a paterne for the Church to follow though the desire of you all be one the drift and purpose of you all is not one The chiefest thing which lay reformers yawne for is that the Cleargie may through conformitie in state and condition be Apostolicall poore as the Apostles of Christ were poore In which one circumstance if they imagine so great perfection they must thinke that Church which hath such store of mendicant Friers a Church in that respect most happy Were it for the glory of God and the good of his Church in deede that the Cleargie should be left euen as bare as the Apostles when they had neither staffe nor scrip that God which should lay vpon them the condition of his Apostles would I hope endue them with the selfesame affection which was in that holy Apostle whose words concerning his owne right vertuous contentment of heart As well how to want as how to abound are a most fit episcopall emprese The Church of Christ is a body mysticall A body cannot stand vnlesse the parts thereof be proportionable Let it therefore be required on both parts at the hands of the Cleargie to be in meannesse of state like the Apostles at the hands of the laitie to be as they were who liued vnder the Apostles and in this reformation there will bee though little wisedome yet some indifferencie But your reformation which are of the Cleargie if yet it displease ye not that I should say ye are of the Cleargie seemeth to aime at a broader marke Ye thinke that he which will perfectly reforme must bring the forme of Church discipline vnto the state which then it was at A thing neither possible nor certaine nor absolutely conuenient Concerning the first what was vsed in the Apostles times the scripture fully declareth not so that making their times the rule and Canon of Church politie ye make a rule which being not possible to be fully knowne is as impossible to be kept Againe sith the later euen of the Apostles owne times had that which in the former was not thought vpon in this generall proposing of the Apostolicall times there is no certaintie which should be followed especially seeing that ye giue vs great cause to doubt how far ye allow those times For albeit the louer of Antichristian building were not ye sâ—y as then set vp yet the foundations thereof were secretly and vnder the ground layd in the Apostles times so that all other times ye plainely reiect and the Apostles owne times ye approue with maruellous great suspition leauing it intricat and doubtfull wherein we are to keepe our selues vnto the paterne of their times Thirdly whereas it is the error of the common multitude to consider onely what hath bene of olde and if the same were well to see whether still it continue if not to condemne that presently which is and neuer to search vpon what ground or consideration the change might growe such rudenes cannot be in you so well borne with whom learning and iudgement hath enabled much more soundly to discerne how farre the times of the Church and the orders thereof may alter without offence True it is the auncienter the better ceremonies of religion are howbeit not absolutely true and without exception but true onely so farre forth as those different ages do agree in the state of those things for which at the first those rites orders and ceremonies were instituted In the Apostles times that was harmlesse which being now reuiued would be scandalous as their oscula sancta Those feastes of charitie which being instituted by the Apostles were reteined in the Church long after are not now thought any where needfull What man is there of vnderstanding vnto whom it is not manifest how the way of prouiding for the Cleargie by tithes the deuise of almes-houses for the poore the sorting out of the people into their seuerall parishes together with sundrie other things which the Apostles times could not haue being now established are much more conuenient and fit for the Church of Christ then if the same should be taken away for conformities sake with the auncientest and first times The orders therefore which were obserued in the Apostles times are not to be vrged as a rule vniuersally either sufficient or necessary If they bee neuerthelesse on your part it still remaineth to bee better prooued that the forme of discipline which ye intitle apostolicall was in the Apostles times exercised For of this very thing ye faile euen touching that which ye make most account of as being matter of substance in discipline I meane the power of your lay-elders and the difference of your Doctors from the Pastors in all Churches So that in summe we may be bold to conclude that besides these last times which for insolencie pride and egregious contempt of all good order are the worst there are none wherein ye can truly affirme that the complete forme of your discipline or the substance thereof was practised The euidence therefore of antiquitie failing you yee flie to the iudgements of such learned men as seeme by their writings to be of opinion that all Christian Churches should receiue your discipline and abandon ours Wherein as ye heape vp the names of a number of men not vnworthy to be had in honor so there are a number whom when ye mention although it serue ye to purpose with the ignorant and vulgar sort who measure by tale not by waight yet surely they who know what qualitie and value the men are of will thinke ye drawe very neare the dregs But were they all of as great account as the best and chiefest amongst them with vs notwithstanding neither are they neither ought they to be of such reckening that their opinion or coniecture should cause the lawes of the Church of England to giue place Much lesse when they neither do all agree in that opinioÌ„ and of theÌ„ which are at agreemeÌ„t the most part through a courteous inducement haue followed one man as their guide finally that one therein not vnlikely to haue swarued If any chance to say it is probable that in the Apostles times there were layelders or not to mislike the continuance of them in the Church or to affirme that Bishops at the first were a name but not a power distinct from presbyters or to speake any thing in praise of those Churches which are without episcopall regimeÌ„t or to reproue the fault of such as abuse that calling all these ye register for men perswaded as you are that euery christian
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus much acknowledged by Mercurius Trismegist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus much cōfest by Anaxagoras Plato terming the maker of the world an Intellectual worker Finally the Stoikes although imagining the first cause of all things to be fire held neuerthelesse that the same fire hauing arte did 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They all confesse therfore in the working of that first cause that counsell is vsed reason followed a way obserued that is to say constant order and law is kept wherof it selfe must needs be author vnto it selfe Otherwise it should haue some worthier and higher to direct it and so could not it selfe be the first Being the first it can haue no other then it selfe to be the author of that law which it willingly worketh by God therefore is a law both to himselfe and to all other things besides To himselfe he is a law in all those things whereof our Sauiour speaketh saying My Father worketh as yet so I. God worketh nothing without cause All those things which are done by him haue some ende for which they are done and the ende for which they are done is a reason of his will to do them His will had not inclined to create woman but that he saw it could not be wel if she were not created Non est bonum It is not good man should be alone Therfore let vs make an helper for him That and nothing else is done by God which to leaue vndone were not so good If therfore it bee demanded why God hauing power hability infinit th' effects notwithstāding of that power are all so limited as wee see they are the reason hereof is the end which he hath proposed and the lawe whereby his wisedome hath stinted th' effects of his power in such sort that it doth not worke infinitely but correspōdently vnto that end for which it worketh euen al things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in most decent and comely sort all things in measure number waight The generall ende of Gods external working is the exercise of his most glorious and most abundant vertue Which abundance doth shew it selfe in varietie and for that cause this varietie is oftentimes in scripture exprest by the name of riches The Lord hath made all things for his owne sake Not that any thing is made to be beneficial vnto him but all things for him to shew beneficence and grace in them The particular drift of euery acte proceeding externally from God we are not able to discerne and therefore cannot alwaies giue the proper and certaine reason of his works Howbeit vndoubtedly a proper and certaine reason there is of euery finite worke of God in as much as there is a law imposed vpon it which if there were not it should be infinite euen as the worker himselfe is They erre therfore who think that of the will of God to doe this or that there is no reason besides his will Many times no reason knowne to vs but that there is no reason thereof I iudge it most vnreasonable to imagine in as much as hee worketh all things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not onely according to his owne will but the counsell of his owne will And whatsoeuer is done with counsell or wise resolution hath of necessitie some reason why it should be done albeit that reason bee to vs in somethings so secret that it forceth the wit of man to stand as the blessed Apostle himself doth amazed therat O the depth of the riches both of the wisdome and knowledge of God How vnsearchable are his iudgements c That law eternall which God himself hath made to himselfe and therby worketh all things wherof he is the cause and author that law in the admirable frame wherof shineth with most perfect beautie the countenance of that wisdome which hath testified concerning her self The lord possessed me in the beginning of his way euē before his works of old I was set vp that lawe which hath bene the patterne to make and is the Carde to guide the world by that law which hath bene of God and with God euerlastingly that law the author and obseruer whereof is one only God to be blessed for euer how should either men or Angels be able perfectly to behold The booke of this law we are neither able nor worthy to open and looke into That little thereof which we darkly apprehend we admire the rest with religious ignorance we humbly meekly adore Seeing therfore that according to this law he worketh of whom through whom for whom are all things althogh there seeme vnto vs cōfusion disorder in th' affaires of this present world Tamen quon am bonus mund◠rector temperat rectè fieri cuncta ne dubites Let no man doubt but that euery thing is wel done because the world is ruled by so good a guide as transgresseth not his owne law then which nothing can be more absolute perfect iust The law wherby he worketh is eternall and therfore can haue no shew or colour of mutability for which cause a part of that law being opened in the promises which God hath made because his promises are nothing else but declarations what God will do for the good of men touching those promises the Apostle hath witnessed that God may as possibly denie himselfe and not be God as faile to performe them And cōcerning the counsel of God he termeth it likewise a thing vnchangeable the counsel of God and that law of God wherof now we speake being one Nor is the freedome of the wil of God any whit abated let or hindered by meanes of this because the impositiō of this law vpō himselfe is his own free volūtary act This law therfore we may name eternal being that order which God before al ages hath set down with himself for himself to do all things by 3 I am not ignorant that by law eternall the learned for the most part do vnderstand the order not which God hath eternally purposed himselfe in all his workes to obserue but rather that which with himselfe he hath set downe as expedient to be kept by all his creatures according to the seuerall conditiō wherwith he hath indued them They who thus are accustomed to speake apply the name of Lawe vnto that onely rule of working which superiour authority in poseth whereas we somewhat more enlarging the sense thereof terme any kind of rule or Canon whereby actions are framed a lawe Now that lawe which as it is laid vp in the bosome of God they call eternall receiueth according vnto the different kinds of things which are subiect vnto it different and sundry kinds of names That part of it which ordereth naturall agēts we call vsually natures law that which Angels doe clearely behold and without any swaruing obserue is a law coelestiall and heauenly the law of reason that which
whom he himselfe hath so instructed but euen they do acknowledge who amongst men are not iudged the neerest vnto him With Plato what one thing more vsuall then to excite men vnto the loue of wisedome by shewing how much wise men are thereby exalted aboue men how knowledge doth rayse them vp into heauen how it maketh them though not Gods yet as Gods high admirable and diuine And Mercurius Trismegislâ—s speaking of the vertues of a righteous soule Such spirits sayth he are neuer clâ—yed with praising and speaking well of all men with doing good vnto euery one by word and deed because they studie to frame themselues according to THE PATERNE of the father of spirits 6 In the matter of knowledge there is betweene the Angels of God and the children of men this difference Angels alreadie haue full and complete knowledge in the highest degree that can be imparted vnto them men if we view them in their spring are at the first without vnderstanding or knowledge at all Neuerthelesse from this vtter vacuitie they grow by degrees till they come at length to be euen as the Angels themselues are That which agreeth to the one now the other shall attaine vnto in the end they are not so farre disioyned and seuered but that they come at length to meete The soule of man being therefore at the first as a booke wherein nothing is and yet all thinges may be imprinted we are to search by what steppes and degrees it riseth vnto perfection of knowledge Vnto that which hath bene alreadie set downe concerning naturall agents this we must adde that albeit therein we haue comprised as well creatures liuing as void of life if they be in degree of nature beneath men neuerthelesse a difference we must obserue betweene those naturall agents that worke altogether vnwittingly and those which haue though weake yet some vnderstanding what they do as fishes foules and beasts haue Beasts are in sensible capacitie as ripe euen as men themselues perhaps more ripe For as stones though in dignitie of nature inferior vnto plants yet exceed them in firmenesse of strength or durability of being and plants though beneath the excellency of creatures indued with sense yet exceed them in the faculty of vegetation and of fertility so beasts though otherwise behind men may notwithstanding in actions of sense and phancie go beyond them because the endeuors of nature when it hath an higher perfection to seeke are in lower the more remisse not esteeming thereof so much as those things do which haue no better proposed vnto them The soule of man therefore being capable of a more diuine perfection hath besides the faculties of growing vnto sensible knowledge which is common vnto vs with beasts a further hability whereof in theÌ„ there is no shew at all the ability of reaching higher then vnto sensible things Till we grow to some ripenesse of yeares the soule of man doth only store it selfe with conceipts of things of inferiour and more open qualitie which afterwards do serue as instruments vnto that which is greater in the meane while aboue the reach of meaner creatures it ascendeth not When once it comprehendeth any thing aboue this as the differences of time affirmations negations and contradictions in speech we then count it to haue some vse of naturall reason Whereunto if afterwards there might be added the right helpes of true art and learning which helpes I must plainely confesse this age of the world carying the name of a learned age doth neither much know nor greatly regard there would vndoubtedly be almost as great difference in maturitie of iudgement betweene men therewith inured and that which now men are as betweene men that are now and innocents Which speech if any condemne as being ouer hyperbolicall let them consider but this one thing No art is at the first finding out so perfect as industrie may after make it Yet the very first man that to any purpose knew the way we speake of and followed it hath alone thereby performed more very neere in all parts of naturall knowledge then sithence in any one part thereof the whole world besides hath done In the pouertie of that other new deuised aide two things there are notwithstanding singular Of maruellous quicke dispatch it is and doth shew them that haue it as much almost in three dayes as if it dwell threescore yeares with them Againe because the curiositie of mans wit doth many times with perill wade farther in the search of things then were conuenient the same is thereby restrained vnto such generalities as euery where offering themselues are apparant vnto men of the weakest conceipt that need be So as following the rules precepts thereof we may find it to be an Art which teacheth the way of speedy discourse and restraineth the minde of man that it may not waxe ouer wise Education and instruction are the meanes the one by vse the other by precept to make our naturall faculty of reason both the better and the sooner able to iudge rightly betweene truth and error good and euill But at what time a man may be sayd to haue attained so farre foorth the vse of reason as sufficeth to make him capable of those lawes whereby he is theÌ„ bound to guide his actions this is a great deale more easie for common sense to discerne then for any man by skill and learning to determine euen as it is not in Philosophers who best know the nature both of fire and of gold to teach what degree of the one will serue to purifie the other so well as the artisan who doth this by fire discerneth by sense when the fire hath that degree of heate which sufficeth for his purpose 7 By reason man attaineth vnto the knowledge of things that are and are not sensible It resteth therfore that we search how maÌ„ attaineth vnto the knowledge of such things vnsensible as are to be knowne that they may be done Seeing then that nothing can moue vnlesse there be some end the desire whereof prouoketh vnto motion how should that diuine power of the soule that Spirit of our mind as the Apostle termeth it euer stir it selfe vnto action vnlesse it haue also the like spurre The end for which we are moued to worke is somtimes the goodnes which we conceiue of the very working it selfe without any further respect at all and the cause that procureth action is the meere desire of action no other good besides being thereby intended Of certaine turbulent wits it is said Illis quieta mouere magna merces videbatur They thought the very disturbaÌ„ce of things established an hyre sufficient to set them on worke Sometimes that which we do is referred to a further end without the desire whereof we would leaue the same vndone as in their actions that gaue almes to purchase thereby the prayse of men Man in perfection of nature being made according to the likenes of
whereunto reasonable creatures are bound but as hath bene shewed we restraine it to those onely duties which all men by force of naturall wit either do or might vnderstand to be such duties as concerne all men Certaine half waking men there are as Saint Augustine noteth who neither altogether asleepe in folly nor yet throughly awake in the light of true vnderstanding haue thought that there is not at all any thing iust and righteous in it selfe but looke wherwith nations are inured the same they take to be right and iust Wherupon their conclusion is that seeing each sort of people hath a different kind of right from other and that which is right of it owne nature must be euery where one and the same therefore in it selfe there is nothing right These good folke saith he that I may not trouble their wits with rehearsal of too many things haue not looked so far into the world as to perceiue that Do as thou wouldest be done vnto is a sentence which all nations vnder heauen are agreed vpon Refer this sentence to the loue of God it extinguisheth all heinous crimes referre it to the loue of thy neighbor and all grieuous wrongs it banisheth out of the world Wherefore as touching the law of reason this was it seemeth Saint Augustines iudgement namely that there are in it some things which stand as principles vniuersally agreed vpon and that out of those principles which are in themselues euident the greatest morall duties we owe towards God or man may without any great difficultie be concluded If then it be here demaunded by what meanes it should come to passe the greatest part of the law morall being so easie for all men to know that so many thousands of men notwithstanding haue bene ignorant euen of principall morall duties not imagining the breach of them to be sinne I deny not but lewd and wicked custome beginning perhaps at the first amongst few afterwards spreading into greater multitudes and so continuing from time to time may be of force euen in plaine things to smother the light of naturall vnderstanding because men will not bend their wits to examine whether things wherewith they haue bene accustomed be good or euill For examples sake that grosser kind of heathenish idolatrie wherby they worshipped the very workes of their owne hands was an absurdity to reason so palpable that the Prophet Dauid comparing idols and idolaters together maketh almost no ods betweene them but the one in a maner as much without wit and sense as the other They that make them are like vnto them and so are all that trust in them That wherein an idolater doth seeme so absurb and foolish is by the Wiseman thus exprest He is not ashamed to speake vnto that which hath no life he calleth on him that is weake for health he prayeth for life vnto him which is dead of him which hath no experience he requireth helpe for his iourney be sâ—â—th to him which is not able to go for gaine and worke and successe in his affaires he seeketh furtherance of him that hath no maner of power The cause of which senselesse stupidity is afterwards imputed to custome When a father mourned grieuosly for his son that was taken away suddenly he made an image for him that was once dead whom now he worshipped as a God ordeining to his seruants ceremonies sacrifices Thus by processe of time this wicked custome preuailed was kept as a law the authority of Rulers the ambition of craftsmen and such like meanes thrusting forward the ignorant and increasing their superstition Vnto this which the Wiseman hath spoken somwhat besides may be added For whatsoeuer we haue hitherto taught or shal hereafter coÌ„cerning the force of mans naturall vnderstanding this we alwayes desire withall to be vnderstood that there is no kind of faculty or power in man or any other creature which can rightly performe the functions alotted to it without perpetuall aide concurrence of that supreme cause of all things The benefit whereof as oft as we cause God in his iustice to withdraw there can no other thing follow then that which the Apostle noteth euen men indued with the light of reason to walke notwithstanding in the vanity of their mind hauing their cogitations darkned being strangers from the life of God through the ignorance which is in them because of the hardnes of their harts And this cause is meÌ„tioned by the Prophet Esay speaking of the ignorance idolaters who see not how the manifest reason condemneth their grosse iniquity and sinne They haue not in them saith he so much wit as to thinke shall I bow to the stocke of a tree All knowledge and vnderstanding is taken from them For God hath shut their eyes that they cannot see That which we say in this case of idolatry serueth for all other things wherein the like kind of generall blindnes hath preuailed against the manifest lawes of reason Within the compasse of which lawes we do not onely comprehend whatsoeuer may be easily knowne to belong to the duty of all men but euen whatsoeuer may possibly be known to be of that quality so that the same be by necessary consequence deduced out of cleere and manifest principles For if once we descend vnto probable collections what is conuenient for men we are then in the territory where free and arbitrarie determinations the territory where humane lawes take place which lawes are after to be considered 9 Now the due obseruation of this law which reason teacheth vs cannot but be effectuall vnto their great good that obserue the same For we see the whole world and each part thereof so compacted that as long as each thing performeth onely that worke which is naturall vnto it it thereby preserueth both other things and also it selfe Contrariwise let any principall thing as the Sun the Moone any one of the heaueÌ„s or elemeÌ„ts but once cease or faile or swarue and who doth not easily conceiue that the sequele thereof would be ruine both to it selfe whatsoeuer dependeth on it And is it possible that man being not only the noblest creature in the world but euen a very world in himselfe his transgressing the law of his nature should draw no maner of harme after it Yes tribulation and anguish vnto euerie soule that doth euill Good doth followe vnto all things by obseruing the course of their nature and on the contrarie side euill by not obseruing it but not vnto naturall agents that good which wee call Reward not that euill which wee properly tearme Punishment The reason whereof is because amongst creatures in this world onely mans obseruation of the lawe of his nature is Righteousnesse onely mans transgression Sinne. And the reason of this is the difference in his maner of obseruing or transgressing the lawe of his nature Hee doth not otherwise then voluntarily the one or the other What we do against our
degree although aboue other creatures on earth to whom nature hath denied sense yet lower then to be sociable companions of man to whome nature hath giuen reason it is of Adam said that amongst the beastes Hee found not for himselfe any meete companion Ciuill societie doth more content the nature of man then any priuate kinde of solitary liuing because in societie this good of mutuall participation is so much larger then otherwise Herewith notwithstanding wee are not satisfied but we couet if it might be to haue a kinde of societie fellowship euen withal maÌ„kind Which thing Socrates intending to signifie professed himselfe a Citizen not of this or that coÌ„mon-welth but of the world And an effect of that very natural desire in vs a manifestâ—token that we wish after a sort an vniuersall fellowship with all men appeareth by the wonderfull delight men haue some to visit forrein countries some to discouer natioÌ„s not heard of in former ages we all to know the affaires dealings of other people yea to be in league of amitie with them this not onely for traffiques sake or to the end that when many are coÌ„federated each may make other the more strong but for such cause also as moued the Queene of Saba to visit Salomon in a word because nature doth presume that how many meÌ„ there are in the world so many Gods as it were ther are or at least wise such they should be towardes men Touching lawes which are to serue men in this behalfe euen as those lawes of reason which man retaining his original integritie had bin sufficient to direct each particular person in all his affaires duties are not sufficient but require the accesse of other lawes now that man and his offspring are growne thus corrupt sinfull againe as those lawes of politie regiment which would haue serued men liuing in publique societie together with that harmlesse disposition which then they should haue had are not able now to serue when mens iniquitie is so hardly restrained within any tolerable bounds in like maner the nationall lawes of mutuall commerce beâ—weene societies of that former and better qualitie might haue bene other then now when nations are so prone to offer violence iniurie and wrong Here upon hath growne in euery of these three kinds that distinction between Primarie Secundarie lawes the one grounded vpon sincere the other built vpon depraued nature Primarie lawes of nations are such as concerne embassage such as belong to the courteous entertainment of forreiners and strangers such as serue for commodious traffique and the like Secundary lawes in the same kinde are such as this present vnquiet world is most familiarly acquainted with I meane lawes of armes which yet are much better known then kept But what matter the law of nations doth containe I omit to search The strength and vertue of that law is such that no particular natioÌ„ can lawfully preiudicâ— the same by any their seueral laws ordinances more then a man by his priuate resolutions the law of the whole coÌ„mon-welth or state wherin he liueth For as ciuill law being the act of a whole body politique doth therfore ouerrule each seuerall part of the same body so there is no reason that any one commoÌ„-welth of it self should to the preiudice of another annihilate that whereupon the whole world hath agreed For which cause the Lacedemonians forbidding all accesse of strangers into their coasts are in yâ— respect both by Iosephus Theodoret deseruedly blamed as being enimies to that hospitality which for coÌ„mon humanities sake al the nations on earth should embrace Now as there is great cause of coÌ„munioÌ„ consequently of laws for the maintenance of coÌ„munion amongst nations So amongst nations Christian the like in regard euen of Christianitie hath bene aâ—waies iudged needfull And in this kinde of correspondence amongst natioÌ„s the force of general councels doth stand For as one the same law diuine wherof in the next place we are to speak is vnto al ChristiaÌ„ churches a rule for the chiefest things by meanes whereof they al in that respect make one Church as hauing all but One Lord one faith and one baptisme So the vrgent necessitie of mutual communion for preseruation of our vnitie in these things as also for order in some other things coÌ„uenient to be euery where vniformly kept maketh it requisit that the church of God here on earth haue her lawes of spirituall commerce betweene Christian nations lawes by vertue wherof all Churches may enioy freely the vse of those reuerend religious and sacred consultations which are termed councels generall A thing whereof Gods owne blessed spirit was the author a thing practised by the holy Apostles themselues a thing alwaies afterwardes kept and obserued throughout the world a thing neuer otherwise then most highly esteemed of till pride ambition and â—yranny began by factious and vile endeuors to abuse that diuine inuention vnto the funherance of wicked purposes But as the iust authoritie of ciuill courtes and Parliaments is not therefore to be abolished because sometime there is cunning vsed to frame them according to the priuate intents of men ouer-potent in the common-welth So thâ— grieuous abuse which hath bene of councels should rather cause men to studie how so gratious a thing may againe be reduced to that first perfection then in regard of staines and blemishes sithens growing be held for euer in extreame disgrace To speake of this matter as the cause requireth would require very long discourse All I will presently say is this Whether it be for the finding out of any thing whereunto diuine lawe bindeth vs but yet in such sort that men are not thereof on all sides resolued or for the setting downe of some vniforme iudgement to stand touching such thinges as being neither way matters of necessitie are notwithstanding offensiue and scandalous when there is open opposition about them be it for the ending of strifes touching matters of Christian beliefe wherein the one part may seeme to haue probable cause of dissenting from the other or be it concerning matters of politie order and regiment in the Church I nothing doubt but that ChristiaÌ„ men should much better frame themselues to those heauenly precepts which our Lord and Sauiour with so great instancie gaue as concerning peace and vnitie if we did all concurre in desire to haue the vse of auncient councels againe renued rather then these proceedings continued which eyther make all contentions endlesse or bring them to one onely determination and that of all other the worst which is by sword It followeth therefore that a new foundation being laid wee now adioyne hereunto that which commeth in the next place to be spoken of namely wherefore God hath himselfe by scripture made knowne such lawes as serue for direction of men 11 Al things God only excepted besides the nature which they haue in
We may not giue our selues this liberty to bring in any thing of our will nor choose any thing that other men bring in of their will we haue the Apostles themselues for authors which themselues brought nothing of their owne wil but the discipline which they receiued of Christ they deliuered faithfully vnto the people In which place the name of discipline importeth not as they who alleage it would faine haue it construed but as any man who noteth the circumstance of the place and the occasion of vttering the words will easily acknowledge euen the selfe same thing it signifieth which the name of doctrine doth and as well might the one as the other there haue bene vsed To helpe them farther doth not Saint Ierome after the selfe same maner dispute We beleeue it not because we reade it not Yea We ought not so much as to knowe the things which the booke of the Lawe containeth not sayth Saint Hilarie Shall we hereupon then conclude that we may not take knowledge of or giue credit vnto any thing which sense or experience or report or art doth propose vnlesse we find the same in scripture No it is too plaine that so farre to extend their speeches is to wrest them against their true intent and meaning To vrge any thing vpon the Church requiring thereunto that religious assent of Christian beliefe wherewith the words of the holy Prophets are receiued to vrge any thing as part of that supernaturall and Celestially reuealed truth which God hath taught and not to shewe it in Scripture this did the auncient Fathers euermore thinke vnlawfull impious execrable And thus as their speeches were meant so by vs they must be restrained As for those alleaged words of Cyprian The christian religion shall find that out of this scripture rules of all doctrines haue sprâ—ng and that from hence doth spring and hether doth returne whatsoeuer the Ecclesiasticall discipline doth coÌ„teine surely this place would neuer haue bin brought forth in this cause if it had bene but once read ouer in the author himselfe out of whom it is cited For the words are vttered concerning that one principall commaundement of loue in the honour whereof he speaketh after this sort Surely this commaundement containeth the Law and the Prophets and in this one word is the abridgement of al the volumes of scripture This nature and reason and the authority of thy word O Lord doth proclaime this we haue heard out of thy mouth herein the perfection of all religion doth consist This is the first commandement and the last thing being written in the booke of life is as it were an euerlasting lesson both to men and Angels Let Christian religion reade this one word and meditate vpon this commaundement and out of this scripture it shall find the rules of all learning to haue sprung and from hence to haue risen and hither to returne whatsoeuer the Ecclesiasticall discipline containeth and that in all things it is vaine and bootelesse which charity confirmeth not Was this a sentence trow you of so great force to proue that Scripture is the onely rule of all the actions of men Might they not hereby euen as well proue that one commandement of Scripture is the onely rule of all things and so exclude the rest of the Scripture as now they do all meanes besides Scripture But thus it fareth when too much desire of contradiction causeth our speech rather to passe by number then to stay for waight Well but Tertullian doth in this case speake yet more plainely The scripture sayth he denieth what it noteth not which are indeed the words of Tertullian But what the scripture reckoneth vp the Kings of Israell and amongst those Kings Dauid the scripture reckoneth vp the sonnes of Dauid and amongst those sonnes Salomon To proue that amongst the Kings of Israell there was no Dauid but only one no Salomon but one in the sonnes of Dauid Tertullians argument will fitly proue For in as much as the scripture did propose to recken vp all if there were moe it would haue named them In this case the scripture doth deny the thing it noteth not Howbeit I could not but thinke that man to do me some peece of manifest iniury which would hereby fasten vpon me a generall opinion as if I did thinke the scripture to deny the very raigne of King Henry the eight because it no where noteth that any such King did raigne Tertullians speech is probable concerning such matter as he there speaketh of There was saith Tertullian no second Lamech like to him that had two wiues the scripture denieth what it noteth not As therefore it noteth one such to haue bene in that age of the world so had there beene moe it would by likelihood as well haue noted many as one What infer we now hereupon There was no second Lamech the scripture denieth what it noteth not Were it consonant vnto reason to diuorce these two sentences the former of which doth shew how the later is restrained and not marking the former to conclude by the later of them that simply whatsoeuer any man at this day doth thinke true is by the scripture denied vnlesse it be there affirmed to be true I wonder that a cause so weake and feeble hath bene so much persisted in But to come vnto those their sentences wherein matters of action are more apparantly touched the name of Tertullian is as before so here againe pretended who writing vnto his wife two bookes and exhorting her in the one to liue a widdow in case God before her should take him vnto his mercy and in the other if she did marry yet not to ioyne her selfe to an infidel as in those times some widowes Christian had done for the aduancement of their estate in this present world he vrgeth very earnestly Saint Paules words onely in the Lord whereupon he demaundeth of them that thinke they may do the contrary what Scripture they can shew where God hath dispensed and graunted licence to do against that which the blessed Apostle so strictly doth inioyne And because in defence it might perhaps be replied seeing God doth will that couples which are maried when bothe are infidels if either party chaunce to be after conuerted vnto Christianity this should not make separation betweene them as long as the vnconuerted was willing to reteine the other on whom the grace of Christ had shined wherefore then should that let the making of mariage which doth not dissolue mariage being made after great reasons shewed why God doth in Conuerts being maried allow continuance with infidels and yet disallow that the faithfull when they are free should enter into bonds of wedlocke with such concludeth in the end concerning those women that so mary They that please not the Lord do euen thereby offend the Lord they do euen thereby throw themselues into euill that is to say while they please him not by
in that one to proue not onely that we may do but that we ought to do sundry things which the Scripture commaundeth not out of that verie booke these sentences are brought to make vs belieue that Tertullian was of a cleane contrary minde We cannot therefore hereupon yeeld we cannot graunt that hereby is made manifest the argument of Scripture negatiuely to be of force not only in doctrine and ecclesiasticall discipline but euen in matters arbitrary For Tertullian doth plainely hold euen in that booke that neither the matter which he intreateth of was arbitrary but necessarie in as much as the receaued custome of the Church did tye and bind them not to weare garlands as the Heathens did yea and further also he reckoneth vp particularly a number of things whereof he expresly concludeth Harum aliarum eiusmodi disciplinarum si legem expostules scripturarum nullam inuenies which is as much as if he had sayd in expresse words Many things there are which concerne the discipline of the Church and the duties of men which to abrogate and take away the scriptures negatiuely vrged may not in any case perswade vs but they must be obserued yea although no scripture be found which requireth any such thing Tertullian therefore vndoubtedly doth not in this booke shew himselfe to be of the same mind with them by whom his name is pretended 6 But sith the sacred scriptures themselues affoord oftentimes such arguments as are taken from diuine authoritie both one way and other The Lord hath commaunded therefore it must be And againe in like sort He hath not therefore it must not be some certainty concerning this point seemeth requisite to be set downe God himselfe can neither possibly erre nor leade into error For this cause his testimonies whatsoeuer he affirmeth are alwaies truth and most infallible certainty Yea further because the things that proceed frō him are perfect without any manner of defect or maime it cannot be but that the words of his mouth are absolute lacke nothing which they should haue for performance of that thing whereunto they tend Wherupon it followeth that the end being knowne wherunto he directeth his speech the argumēt euen negatiuely is euermore strōg forcible cōcerning those things that are apparātly requisit vnto the same ende As for example God intending to set downe sundry times that which in Angels is most excellent hath not any where spoken so highly of them as he hath of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ therefore they are not in dignitie equall vnto him It is the Apostle Saint Paules argument The purpose of God was to teach his people both vnto whom they should offer sacrifice and what sacrifice was to be offered To burne their sonnes in fire vnto Baal hee did not commaund them he spake no such thing neither came it into his mind therefore this they ought not to haue done VVhich argument the Prophet Ieremie vseth more then once as being so effectuall and strong that although the thing hee reproueth were not onely not commaunded but forbidden them and that expresly yet the Prophet chooseth rather to charge them with the fault of making a lawe vnto themselues then with the crime of transgressing a lawe which God had made For when the Lord hath once himselfe precisely set downe a forme of executing that wherein we are to serue him the fault appeareth greater to do that which we are not then not to do that which we are commaunded In this we seeme to charge the Lawe of God with hardnesse onely in that with foolishnesse in this we shew our selues weake and vnapt to be doers of his will in that we take vpon vs to be controllers of his wisedome in this we faile to performe the thing which God seeth meete conuenient and good in that we presume to see what is meete and conuenient better then God himselfe In those actions therefore the whole forme whereof God hath of purpose set downe to be obserued we may not otherwise do then exactly as he hath prescribed in such things negatiue arguments are strong Againe with a negatiue argument Dauid is pressed concerning the purpose he had to build a Temple vnto the Lord Thus sayth the Lord thou shalt not build me an house to dwell in Wheresoeuer I haue walked with all Israell spake I one word to any of the Iudges of Israel whom I commaunded to feed my people saying Why haue ye not built me an house The Iewes vrged with a negatiue argument touching the ayde which they sought at the hands of the King of AEgypt Woe to those rebellious children sayth the Lord which walke forth to go downe into AEgypt and haue not asked counsell at my mouth to strengthen themselues with the strength of Pharao Finally the league of Ioshua with the Gabeonites is likewise with a negatiue argument touched It was not as it should be And why The Lord gaue them not that aduise They sought not counsell at the mouth of the Lord. By the vertue of which examples if any man should suppose the force of negatiue arguments approued when they are taken from Scripture in such sort as we in this question are pressed therewith they greatly deceiue themselues For vnto which of all these was it said that they had done amisse in purposing to do or in doing any thing at all which the Scripture commanded them not Our question is whether all be sinne which is done without direction by scripture and not whether the Israelites did at any time amisse by following their owne minds without asking counsell of God No it was that peoples singular priuiledge a fauour which God vouchfafed them aboue the rest of the world that in the affaires of their estate which were not determinable one way or other by the scripture himselfe gaue them extraordinarily direction and counsell as oft as they sought it at his hands Thus God did first by speech vnto Moses after by Vrim and Thummim vnto Priests lastly by dreames and visions vnto Prophets from whom in such cases they were to receiue the aunswere of God Concerning Iosua therefore thus spake the Lord vnto Moses saying He shall stand before Eleazar the Priest who shall aske counsell for him by the iudgement of Vrim before the Lord whereof had Iosua bene mindfull the fraud of the Gabeonites could not so smoothly haue past vnespied till there was no helpe The Iewes had Prophets to haue resolued them from the mouth of God himselfe whether Egyptian aides should profite them yea or no but they thought themselues wise enough and him vnworthy to be of their Counsell In this respect therfore was their reproofe though sharpe yet iust albeit there had bene no charge precisely geuen them that they should alwayes take heed of Egypt But as for Dauid to thinke that he did euill in determining to build God a Temple because there was in scripture no commandement that he should build it
change is requisite had bin worse when that which now is changed was instituted Otherwise God had not then left this to choose that neither would now reiect that to choose this were it not for some new grown occasion making that which hath bene better worse In this case therefore 〈…〉 not presume to change Gods ordinance but they yeeld thereunto requiring it selfe to be chaunged Against this it is obiected that to abrogate or innouate the gospel of Christ if mē do Angels should attempt it were most heynous and cursed sacriledge And the Gospell as they say containeth not only doctrine instructing men how they should beleeue but also precepts concerning the regiment of the Church Discipline therefore is a part of the Gospell and God being the author of the whole Gospel as well of discipline as of doctrine it cānot be but that both of them haue a common cause So that as we are to beleeue for euer the articles of euangelicall doctrine so the precepts of discipline we are in like sort bound for euer to obserue Touching points of doctrine as for example the vnity of God the trinitie of persons saluation by Christ the resurrection of the body life euerlasting the iudgement to come and such like they haue bene since the first houre that there was a Church in the world and till the last they must be beleeued But as for matters of regiment they are for the most part of another nature To make new articles of faith and doctrine no man thinketh it lawfull new lawes of gouernment what common wealth or Church is there which maketh not either at one time or another The rule of faith saith Tertullian is but one and that alone immoueable and impossible to be framed or cast anew The law of outward order polity not so There is no reason in the world wherfore we should esteeme it as necessary alwayes to do as alwayes to beleeue the same things seeing euery man knoweth that the matter of faith is constant the matter contrariwise of action daily changeable especially the matter of action belonging vnto Church polity Neither than I find that men of soundest iudgement haue any otherwise taught then that articles of beliefe and things which all men must of necessity do to the end they may be saued are either expresly set downe in Scripture or else plainly thereby to be gathered But touching things which belong to discipline outward politie the Church hath authority to make canons laws decrees euen as we reade that in the Apostles times it did Which kind of lawes for as much as they are not in themselues necessary to saluation may after they are made be also changed as the difference of times or places shall require Yea it is not denied I am sure by themselues that certaine things in discipline are of that nature as they may be varied by times places persons and other the like circumstances Whereupon I demaund are those changeable points of discipline commaunded in the word of God or no If they be not commanded and yet may be receiued in the Church how can their former position stand cōdemning all things in the Church which in the word are not commanded If they be commaunded and yet may suffer change how can this later stand affirming all things immutable which are commanded of God Their distinction touching matters of substance and of circumstance though true will not serue For be they great things or be they small if God haue commaunded them in the Gospell and his commanding them in the Gospell do make them vnchangeable there is no reason we should more change the one then we may the other If the authority of the maker do proue vnchangeablenesse in the lawes which God hath made then must al laws which he hath made be necessarily for euer permanēt though they be but of circumstance only and not of substance I therfore conclude that neither Gods being author of lawes for gouernment of his Church nor his cōmitting them vnto Scripture is any reason sufficient wherefore all Churches should for euer be bound to keepe them without chaunge But of one thing we are here to giue them warning by the way For whereas in this discourse we haue oftentimes profest that many parts of discipline or Church politie are deliuered in Scripture they may perhaps imagine that we are driuē to cōfesse their discipline to be deliuered in scripture and that hauing no other meanes to auoid it we are faine to argue for the changeablenesse of lawes ordained euen by God himselfe as if otherwise theirs of necessitie should take place and that vnder which we liue be abandoned There is no remedie therefore but to abate this error in them and directly to let them know that if they fall into any such conceit they do but a little flatter their owne cause As for vs we thinke in no respect so highly of it Our perswasion is that no age euer had knowledged of it but onely ours that they which defend it deuised it that neither Christ nor his Apostles at any time taught it but the contrary If therefore we did seeke to maintaine that which most aduantageth our owne cause the very best way for vs and the strongest against them were to hold euen as they do that in Scripture there must needs be foūd some particular forme of Church-polity which God hath instituted and which for that very cause belongeth to all Churches to all times But with any such partiall eye to respect our selues and by cunning to make those things seeme the truest which are the fittest to serue our purpose is a thing which we neither like nor meane to follow Wherefore that which we take to be generally true concerning the mutability of lawes the same we haue plainely deliuered as being perswaded of nothing more then we are of this that whether it be in matter of speculation or of practise no vntruth can possibly auaile the patrone and defendor long and that things most truly are likewise most behoouefully spoken 11. This we hold and graunt for truth that those very lawes which of their own nature are changeable be notwithstāding vncapable of change if he which gaue them being of authority so to do forbid absolutely to change thē neither may they admit alteratiō against the will of such a law maker Albeit therfore we do not find any cause why of right there should be necessarily an immutable forme set downe in holy scripture neuerthelesse if indeed there haue bene at any time a Church-politie so set downe the change whereof the sacred scripture doth forbid surely for mē to alter those lawes which God for perpetuity hath established were presumption most intollerable To proue therfore that the wil of Christ was to establish laws so permanent and immutable that in any sort to alter them cannot but highly offend God thus they reason First if Moses being but a seruant in
of our fathers to be followed we therefore may not allow such customes as the Church of Rome hath because we cānot account of thē which are in that Church as of our fathers 6 To their allegation that the course of Gods owne wisedome doth make against our conformitie 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 haue in these thinges no agreement with the Church of Rome being vnsound 9 That neither the papists vpbraiding vs as furnished out of their store nor any hope which in that respect they are said to conceiue doth make any more against our ceremonies then the former allegations haue done 10 The griefe which they say godly brethren conceiue at such ceremonies as we haue common with the Church of Rome 11 The third thing for which they reproue a great part of our ceremonies is for that as we haue them from the Church of Rome so that Church had them from the Iewes 12 The fourth for that sundry of them haue bene they say abused vnto idolatrie and are by that meane become scandalous 13 The fift for that we retaine them still notwithstanding the example of certaine Churches reformed before vs which haue cast them out 14 A declaration of the proceedings of the Church of England for the establishment of things as they are 1 SVch was the ancient simplicitie and softnes of spirit which sometimes preuailed in the world that they whose wordes were euen as oracles amongst men seemed euermore loth to giue sentence against any thing publiquely receiued in the Church of God except it were wonderfull apparently euill for that they did not so much incline to that seueritie which delighteth to reproue the least things it seeth amisse as to that charity which is vnwilling to behold any thing that dutie bindeth it to reproue The state of this present age wherein zeale hath drowned charitie skill meeknes wil not now suffer any mā to maruel whatsoeuer he shal hear reproued by whōsoeuer Those rites ceremonies of the church therefore which are the selfesame now that they were whē holy vertuous men maintained thē against prophane and deriding aduersaries her owne children haue at this day in derision Whether iustly or no it shall then appeare when all thinges are heard which they haue to alleage against the outward receiued orders of this church Which in as much as thēselues do compare vnto mint and comin graunting thē to be no part of those things which in the matter of politie are waightier we hope that for small things their strife will neither bee earnest nor long The sifting of that which is obiected against the orders of the church in particular doth not belong vnto this place Here we are to discusse onely those generall exceptions which haue bene taken at any time against them First therfore to the end that their nature and vse whereunto they serue may plainely appeare and so afterwardes their qualitie the better be discerned we are to note that in euery grand or main publique dutie which God requireth at the hāds of his Church there is besides that matter and forme wherein the essence therof consisteth a certaine outward fashion whereby the same is in decent sort administred The substance of all Religious actions is deliuered from God himself in few words For example sake in the sacraments Vnto the element let the word be added and they both doe make a sacrament saith S. Augustine Baptisme is giuen by the element of water and that prescript forme of words which the church of Christ doth vse the sacrament of the body and bloud of Christ is administred in the elements of bread and wine if those mysticall words be added thereunto But the due and decent forme of administring those holy sacramēts doth require a great deale more The end which is aimed at in setting downe the outward forme of all religious actiōs is the edification of the Church Now men are edified when either their vnderstanding is taught somewhat whereof in such actions it behoueth all men to consider or whē their harts are moued with any affectiō suteable therunto whē their minds are in any sort stirred vp vnto that reuerence deuotion attention due regard which in those cases seemeth requisit Because therfore vnto this purpose not only speech but sundry sēsible means besides haue alwaies bin thought necessary especially those means which being obiect to the eye the liueliest the most apprehensiue sense of all other haue in that respect seemed the fittest to make a deepe and strong impression from hence haue risen not onely a number of praiers readings questionings exhortings but euen of visible signes also which being vsed in performance of holy actions are vndoubtedly most effectual to open such matter as men when they know remēber carefully must needs be a great deale the better informed to what effect such duties serue We must not thinke but that there is some ground of reason euen in nature whereby it commeth to passe that no nation vnder heauen either doth or euer did suffer publique actiōs which are of waight whether they be ciuil and temporall or else spirituall and sacred to passe without some visible solemnitie the very strangenes whereof and difference from that which is common doth cause popular eyes to obserue and to marke the same Wordes both because they are common and doe not so strongly moue the phancie of man are for the most parte but sleightly heard and therfore with singular wisdome it hath bene prouided that the deeds of men which are made in the presence of witnesses should passe not onely with words but also with certaine sensible actions the memory wherof is farre more easie and durable then the memorie of speech can be The things which so long experience of all ages hath confirmed and made profitable let not vs presume to condemne as follies and toyes because wee sometimes know not the cause and reason of them A wit disposed to scorne whatsoeuer it doth not conceiue might aske wherefore Abraham should say to his seruant Put thy hand vnder my thigh and sweare was it not sufficient for his seruant to shew the Religion of an othe by naming the Lord God of heauen and earth vnlesse that straunge ceremonie were added In contracts bargaines and conueiances a mans worde is a token sufficient to expresse his wil. Yet this was the auncient maner in Israell concerning redeeming and exchanging to establish all things A man did pluck off his shooe and gaue it his neighbour and this was a sure witnesse in Israel Amongst the Romans in their making of a bondman free was it not wondred wherefore so great a doe should bee made The maister to present his slaue in some court to take him by the hand and not
are aware of wheÌ„ they plead that eueÌ„ such ceremonis of the church of Rome as coÌ„teine in theÌ„ nothing which is not of it selfe agreeable to the word of God ought neuerthelesse to be abolished and that neither the word of God nor reason nor the examples of the eldest Churches do permit the Church of Rome to be therin followed Heretiques they are they are our neighbors By vs and amongst vs they lead their liues But what then Therfore no ceremony of theirs lawfull for vs to vse Wâ—â—ust yeeld and will that none are lawfull if God himself be a precedeÌ„t against the vse of any But how appeareth it that God is so Hereby they say it doth appeare in that God seuered his people from the Heathens but specially from the Aegyptians and such nations as were neerest neighbors vnto them by forbidding them to do those things which were in themselues very lawfull to be done yea very profitable some and incommodious to be forborne such things it pleased God to forbid them only because those Heathens did them with whom conformity in the same things might haue bred infection Thus in shauing cutting apparell wearing yea in sundry kinds of meates also swines flesh conies and such like they were forbidden to do so and so because the Gentiles did so And the end why God forbad them such things was to seuer them for feare of infection by a great and an high wall from other nations as S. Paul teacheth The cause of more carefull separation from the neerest nations was the greatnesse of danger to be especially by them infected Now Papists are to vs as those nations were vnto Israell Therefore if the wisdome of God be our guide we cannot allow conformity with them no not in any such indifferent ceremonie Our direct answer hereunto is that for any thing here alleaged we may still doubt whether the Lord in all such indiffereÌ„t ceremonies as those whereof we dispute did frame his people of set purpose vnto any vtter dissimilitude either with Aegyptians or with any other nation else And if God did not forbid them all such indifferent ceremonies then our conformity with the Church of Rome in some such is not hitherto as yet disproued although Papists were vnto vs as those heathens were vnto Israell After the doings of the land of Aegypt wherein you dwelt ye shall not do saith the Lord and after the maner of the land of Canaan whether I will bring you shall ye not do neither walke in their ordinances Do after my iudgements and keepe my ordinances to walke therein I am the Lord your God The speech is indefinite ye shall not be like them It is not generall ye shall not be like them in any thing or like vnto them in any thing indifferent or like vnto them in any indifferent ceremony of theirs Seeing therefore it is not set downe how farre the bounds of his speech concerning dissimilitude should reach how can any man assure vs that it exteÌ„deth farder then to those things only wherin the nations there mentioned were idolatrous or did against that which the law of God commandeth Nay doth it not seem a thing very probable that God doth purposely adde Do after my iudgements as giuing therby to vnderstaÌ„d that his meaning in the former sentence was but to bar similitude in such things as were repugnant vnto the ordinances lawes and statutes which he had giuen Aegyptians and Cananites are for example sake named vnto them because the customes of the one they had bin and of the other they should be best acquainted with But that wherein they might not be like vnto either of them was such peraduenture as had beene no whit lesse vnlawfull although those nations had neuer bene So that there is no necessitie to thinke that God for feare of infection by reason of neernes forbad them to be like to the Cananites or the Aegyptians in those things which otherwise had bene lawfull enough For I would know what one thing was in those nations and is here forbidden being indifferent in it self yet forbidden onely because they vsed it In the laws of Israel we find it written ye shal not cut round the corners of your heads neither shalt thou teare the tufts of thy beard These things were vsuall amongst those nations in themselues they are indifferent But are they indifferent being vsed as signes of immoderate and hopeles lamentation for the dead In this sense it is that the law forbiddeth them For which cause the very next words following are ye shal not cut your flesh for the dead nor make any print of a marke vpon you I am the Lord. The like in Leuiticus where speech is of mourning for the dead They shal not make bald parts vpoÌ„ their head nor shaue off the locks of their beard nor make any cutting in their flesh Againe in Deuteronomy ye are the children of the Lord your God ye shal not cut your selues nor make you baldnes betweene your eyes for the dead What is this but in effect the same which the Apostle doth more plainly expresse saying Sorrow not as they do which haue no hope The very light of nature it selfe was able to see herein a fault that which those nations did vse hauing bin also in vse with others the ancient Romane laws do forbid That shauing therefore and cutting which the law doth mention was not a matter in it selfe indifferent and forbidden onely because it was in vse amongst such idolaters as were neighbours to the people of God but to vse it had bin a crime though no other people or nation vnder heauen should haue done it sauing only themselues As for those laws concerning attire There shall no garment of linnen wollen come vpon thee as also those touching food and diet wherein swines flesh together with sundry other meates are forbidden the vse of these things had bene indeed of it selfe harmelesse and indifferent so that hereby it doth appeare how the law of God forbad in some speciall consideration such things as were lawful inough in themselues But yet euen here they likewise faile of that they intend For it doth not appeare that the consideration in regard whereof the law forbiddeth these things was because those nations did vse them Likely enough it is that the Cananites vsed to feed as well on sheepes as on swines flesh therefore if the forbidding of the later had no other reason theÌ„ dissimilitude with that people they which of their own heads alleage this for reason can shew I think some reason more theÌ„ we are able to find why the former was not also forbiddeÌ„ Might there not be some other mystery in this prohibition then they think of Yes some other mystery there was in it by all likelihood For what reason is there which should but induce and therefore much lesse enforce vs to thinke that care
scandalous at certain times and in certaine places and to certaine men the open vse thereof neuerthelesse being otherwise without daunger The verie nature of some rites and Ceremonies therfore is scandalous as it was in a number of those which the Manichees did vse and is in all such as the law of God doth forbid Some are offensiue only through the agreement of men to vse them vnto euill and not else as the most of those thinges indifferent which the Heathens did to the seruice of their false Gods which an other in heart condemning their idolatrie could not doe with them in shew and token of approbation without being guiltie of scandall giuen Ceremonies of this kinde are either deuised at the first vnto euill as the Eunomian Heretiques in dishonour of the blessed Trinitie brought in the laying on of water but once to crosse the custom of the Church which in Baptisme did it thrise or else hauing had a profitable vse they are afterwards interpreted and wrested to the contrarie as those Heretiques which held the Trinitie to be three distinct not persons but natures abused the Ceremonie of three times laying on water in Baptisme vnto the strengthning of their heresie The element of water is in Baptisme necessarie once to lay it on or twice is indifferent For which cause Gregorie making mention thereof sayth To diue an infant either thrice or but once in Baptisme can be no way a thing reproueable seeing that both in three times washing the Trinitie of persons and in one the Vnitie of Godhead may be signified So that of these two Ceremonies neither being hurtfull in it selfe both may serue vnto good purpose yet one was deuised and the other conuerted vnto euill Now whereas in the Church of Rome certaine Ceremonies are said to haue bene shamefully abused vnto euill as the Ceremonie of Crossing at Baptisme of kneeling at the Eucharist of vsing Wafer-cakes and such like the question is whether for remedie of that euill wherein such Ceremonies haue bene scandalous and perhaps may be still vnto some euen amongst our selues whome the presence and sight of them may confirme in that former error whereto they serued in times past they are of necessitie to be remoued Are these or any other Ceremonies wee haue common with the Church of Rome scandalous and wicked in their verie nature This no man obiecteth Are any such as haue bene polluted from their verie birth and instituted euen at the first vnto that thing which is euill That which hath bene ordeyned impiously at the first may weare out that impietie in tract of time and then what doth let but that the vse thereof may stand without offence The names of our monethes and of our dayes wee are not ignorant from whence they came and with what dishonour vnto God they are said to haue bene deuised at the first What could be spoken against any thing more effectuall to stirre hatred then that which sometime the auncient Fathers in this case speake Yet those very names are at this day in vse throughout Christendome without hurt or scandall to any Cleare and manifest it is that thinges deuised by Heretiques yea deuised of a very hereticall purpose euen against religion and at their first deuising worthy to haue bene withstood may in time growe meete to be kept as that custome the inuentors wherof were the Eunomian Heretiques So that customes once established and confirmed by long vse being presently without harme are not in regard of their corrupt originall to be held scandalous But coÌ„cerning those our Ceremonies which they reckon for most Popish they are not able to auouch that any of them was otherwise instituted theÌ„ vnto good yea so vsed at the first It followeth then that they all are such as hauing serued to good purpose were afterward conuerted vnto the contrary And sith it is not so much as obiected against vs that we reteine together with them the euil wherwith they haue bin infected in the Church of Rome I would demand who they are whom we scandalize by vsing harmles things vnto that good end for which they were first instituted Amongst our selues that agree in the approbation of this kinde of good vse no man wil say that one of vs is offensiue and scandalous vnto another As for the fauorers of the church of Rome they know how far we herein differ dissent froÌ„ them which thing neither we conceale they by their publike writings also professe daily how much it grieueth them so that of theÌ„ there will not many rise vp against vs as witnesses vnto the inditement of scandal whereby we might be coÌ„demned cast as hauing strengthned theÌ„ in that euil wherwith they pollute themselues in the vse of the same Ceremonies And concerning such as withstaÌ„d the Church of England herein hate it because it doth not sufficiently seeme to hate Rome they I hope are far enough froÌ„ being by this meane drawne to any kind of popish error The multitude therfore of them vnto whom we are scaÌ„dalous through the vse of abused ceremonies is not so appareÌ„t that it can iustly be said in general of any one sort of meÌ„ or other we cause theÌ„ to offend If it be so that now or theÌ„ some few are espied who hauing bin accustomed heretofore to the rites ceremonies of the Church of Rome are not so scowred of their former rust as to forsake their auncient perswasioÌ„ which they haue had howsoeuer they frame theÌ„selues to outward obedience of laws orders because such may misconster the meaning of our ceremonies and so take theÌ„ as though they were in euery sort the same they haue bin shal this be thought a reason sufficieÌ„t wheron to coÌ„clude that some law must necessarily be made to abolish al such ceremonies They answer that there is no law of God which doth bind vs to reteine theÌ„ And S. Pauls rule is that in those things froÌ„ which without hurt we may lawfully absteine we should frame the vsage of our libertie with regard to the weakenes and imbecillitie of our brethren Wherefore vnto them which stood vpon their owne defence saying All things are lawfull vnto me he replyeth But all things are not expedient in regard of others All things are cleane all meates are lawfull but euill vnto that man that eateth offensiuely If for thy meates â—ake thy brother bee grieued thou walkest no longer according to charitie Destroy not him with thy meate for whome Christ dyed Dissolue not for foodes sake the worke of God Wee that are strong must beare the imbecillities of the impotent and not please our selues It was a weakenesse in the Christian Iewes and a maime of iudgement in them that they thought the Gentiles polluted by the eating of those meates which themselues were afraid to touch for feare of transgressing the lawe of Moses yea hereat their hearts did so much rise that the Apostle had iust cause to feare least
to the contrary as in the former there was Leuit. 18.21 20.3 Deut. 17.16 In Iosua the children of Israel are charged by the Prophet that they asked not counsell of theâ— mouth of the Lord when they entered into couenant with the Gabeonites Iosh. 9.14 And yet that couenant was not made contrarie vnto anie commaundement of God Moreouer we reade that when Dauid had taken this counsell to build a temple vnto the Lord albeit the Lord had reuealed before in his word that there should be such a standing place where the Arke of the couenant and the seruice should haue a certaine abiding and albeit there was no word of God which â—orbad Dauid to build the Temple yet the Lord with commendation of his good affection and zeale hee had to the aduancement of his glorie concludeth against Dauidâ— resolution to build the Temple with this reason namely that he had giuen no commandement of this who should build it 1. Chr. 17.6 Leuit. 18.21 20.3 Deut. 28.10 1. Chro. 17 â— Esay 30.1 Iosh. 9.14 Num. 27.21 1. Chron. 17. T. C. l. â— p. 50. M. Harding reprocheth the B. of Salisbury with this kind of reasoning vnto whom the B. answereth The argument of authority negatiuely is taken to be good whensoeuer proofe is taken of Gods word and is vsed not onely by vs but also by many of the Catholique Fathers A litle after he sheweth the reason why the argument of authority of the scripture negatiuely is good namely for that the word of God is perfect In another place vnto M. Harding casting him in the teeth with negatiue arguments be alleageth places out of Irenâ—â—us Chrysostom Leo which reasoned negatiuely of the authoritie of the Scriptures The places which he alleageth be very full and plaine in generality without any such restraint as the Answerer imagineth as they are there to be seene â— Vell. Patere Iugurtha as Marius sub codem Africano militantes in ijsdem castris didicere qua postea in contrarijs facereâ—t Art 1. Diuis 29. Gal. 3. Orig. in Leuitho 5. Math. 23. Math. 17. Desen par 5. ca. 15. diuis â— Lib. 1. cap. 1â— De incomp nat Dei hom 3. Epist. 9â— ca. 12 Epist. 97. ca. 3. Epist. 16â— Lib. 4. ep 32. Their opinion coÌ„cerning the force of arguments taken from humane authority for the ordering of mens actioÌ„â— or perswasioÌ„s T. C. l. 1. p. 25. When the question is of the authority of a man it holdeth neither affirmatiuely nor negatiuely The reason is because the infirmitie of man can neither attaine to the perfection of any thing whereby he might speake all things that are to be spoken of it neither yet be free from error in those things which he speaketh or giueth out And therefore this argument neither affirmatiuely nor negatiuely compelleth the hearer but only induceth him to some liking or disliking of that for which it is brought and is rather for an Orator to perswade the simpler sort then for a disputer to enforce him that is learned 1. Cor. 1.11 Iohn 4.35 Deut. 19.15 Mat. 18.16 T. C. l. 1. p. 10. Although that kind of argument of authoritie of men is good neither in humaine nor diuine sciences yet it hath some small force in humaine sciences for as much as naturally in that he is a man he may come to some ripenes of iudgement in those sciences which in diuine matters hath no force at all as of him which naturally and as he is a man can no more iudge of them shew a blind man of colours Yea so farre is it from drawing credit if it be barely spoken without reason and testimony of scripture that it carieth also a suspition of vntruth whatsoeuer proceedeth from him which the Apostle did well note when to signifie a thing corruptly spoken and against the truth he saith that it is spoken according vnto man Rom. 3. He saith not as a wicked and lying man but simply as a man And although this corruption be reformed in many yet for so much as in whome the knowledge of the truth is most aduanced there remaineth both ignorance and disordered affections whereof either of them turneth him from speaking of the truth no mans authority with the Church especially and those that are called and perswaded of the authority of the word of God can bring any assurance vnto the conscience T. C. l. 2. p. 21. Of diuers sentences of the fathers themselues wherby some haue likened them to brute beastes without reason which suffer themselues to be led by the iudgement and authority of others some haue preferred the iudgemeÌ„t of ouâ— simple rude man alleaging reason vnto companies of learned men I will content my selfe at this time with two or three sentences Irenaeus saith whatsoeuer is to be shewed in the scripture canne bee shewed but out of the scriptures themselues lib. 3â— cap. 12. Ierome saith No man be he neuer so holy or eloquent hath any authoritie after the Apostles in Ps. 86. Augustine saith that he will beleeue none how godly and learned soeuer he be vnlesse he confirme his sentence by the scriptures or by some reason not contrary to them Epist. 18. And in another place Heare this the Lord saith heare not this Donatus saith Rogatus saith Vincentius saith Hylarius saith Ambrose saith Augustine saith but hearken to this the Lord saith Epist. 48. And againe hauing to do with an Arrian he affirmeth that neither he ought to bring forth the councell of Nice nor the other the councell of Arimine thereby to bring preiudice each to other neither ought the Arrian to be holden by the authoritie of the one nor himselfe by the authoritie of the other but by the scriptures which are witnesses proper to neither but common to both matter with matter cause with cause reason with reason ought to be debated contra Maxim Arian 3.14 ca. And in an other place against Petilian the Donatist he saith Let not these wordes be heard betweene vs I say you say let vs heare this Thus saith the Lord. And by and by speaking of the scriptures he saith There let vs seeke the Church there let vs try the cause De vnita Eccles. cap. 3. Hereby it is manifest that the argument of the authoritie of man affirmatiuely is nothing worth Matth. 17.10 T. C. l. 2.21 If at any time it happened vnto Augustine as it did against the Donatists and others to alleage the authority of the auncient Fathers which had bin before him yet this was not done before he had laid a sure foundation of his cause in the scriptures and that also being prouoked by the aduersaries of the truth who bare themselues high of some counsell or of some man of name that had fauoured that part A declaration what the truth is in this maâ—ter Math. 26.40 Ephes. 5.29 Matth. 5.46 1. Tim. 5.8 Matth. 10.42 Act. 4.31 1. Thes. 2.7.9 T. C. l. 2. p. 6. Where this doctrine is accused of bringing men to despaire it