seconded by the peaceable and happie accesse of a greater Kingdome So that in this case vnlesse to a minde that hath no Religion at all it shall bee much harder to perswade a moderation than too little For with righteous Kings and of vnderstanding as nothing is dearer than Religion so in nothing they imploy their labour and authoritie more willingly than for the preseruation and honouring of the Church it selfe all kingdomes hauing no other safetie but this Their prosperitie to flourish for no longer time than the prosperitie of the Church is maintayned among est them This being by all obseruation the truest signe of a decaying Kingdome To haue a Cleargie vnhallowed and the Church vnhonoured But whilest all men are carefull that the Church may bee well gouerned euerie man obtrudeth his owne fancy and liketh best of those Rules which haue neerest affinitie with his owne brayne Hence commeth it to passe that some men are not fully resolued to whom especially belongeth the Authoritie to prescribe with warrâ—nt the direct forme of the Church gonernment Other offices for the attainment of this end as to instruct and to aduise may in all reâ—son to make the burthen of gouernment both more vertuous and more easie belong vnto other men But to prouide for the safetie of the Church for the publicke enioying of the Word of God for the maner of gouernment for the maintenance of the Clergie all these in a strict vnderstanding are the religious duties and the honourable effects of the King so that what authoritie is deriued vnto any â—yther in a blinde and false obedience to the Sea of Rome or through a partiall affection to a new Consistorie are both if not equall yet equally vsurpers of the Kings right Nay whilest some of late haue beene earnest though ignonorant refusers of Subscription they hane showed in their actions how vncharitably they haue thought of their late Souereigns sincere ReligioÌ„ For to mislike the book of Orders is indirectly to affirme that we haue no ministery which some impudently shameles haue dared to affirme plainly not to subscribe to the Booke of Common Prayer is to teach that we haue no forme of Church Liturgye And lastly to refuse to subscribe to the Articles of Faith is to make men beleeue that our Church maintaineth vnsound doctrine This as it was alleaged once by a Reuerend bishop in a SermoÌ„ so it is an accusatioÌ„ not yet cleered by any that I know by one it is slubbered ouer vnhandsomely making the Obiection stronger than himselfe was able to answere truly but this wee shall haue better occasion to confute hereafter And it is too plaine what opinion they had of Her Religion liuing whom so boldly they dare depraue being once dead But flattery looketh no further than eyther to escape punishment or receiue a benefit so that when the one is past feare and the other past hope wee dare then speake what wee thinke and more vnreuerently oftentimes of the same partie being a Saint in Heauen than we durst being a Prince in earth It were fit all men considered but especially Kings whose authoritie it doth secretly vndermine how farre the admission of a Consistoriall Gouernment in a kingdome may suddenly vsurpe vpon that right which Scripture and Lawes haue ascribed to the King That Kings ought to haue rule in all causes ouerall persons as it is warranted by the word so it is confirmed to the Princes of this Land by Act of Parliament This giueth vnto them Supremacy in Ecclesiasticall Gouernment Exempteth from Inforcement of any Domesticall or forreigne power and freeth them from the penaltie of those lawes both Ecclesiasticall and Ciuill whereunto all inferiour persons in a Kingdome are tyed And howsoeuer sinnes in Princes ought to be reprooued and rights of Clayme may be recouered against Kings yet in nothing are they liable to penall lawes much lesse subiect to the Iurisdiction of Elders or Excommunication of this Tyrannous Consistorie Vnhallowed blouldnesses attempted in other Kingdomes and Imperionsly affected and vrged by some amongst vs nay the power to call Synods an Authoritie by Parliament graunted vnto the Prince some violent spirits haue attempted with that bouldnesse as if those only were Lawes which were warranted by this Consistorie Princes being but to Execute what they appoint them out of Gods word whereof notwithstanding themselues must be only Iudges Thus whilst the Prince warranted by his owne Law which is the publike Act of his whole people gaue Authority to some graue Commissioners for Reformation of Ecclesiasticall disorders They denie that any such ought to be appointed Iudges and often both in priuate and publike depraued that honorable and high Commission a thing as it is vnseemely for them to controule so if our late Souereigne in great Wisedome and care of the Church had not giuen it authoritie and strength the bolddnesse of a great number pretending a Zeale had growen to bee so strong that in all appearance There had beene little likelihood of safety to the Queene her selfe And seeing all attempts are most violent that haue their beginning and strength from a Zeale to Religion bee it neuer so false there can be nothing doubtles of greater vse either for the safetie of the Prince the peace of the Church or the quiet of the Commonwealth than the seuere and Reuerend authoritie of this high CoÌ„mission without which assuredly long since we had miserably tasted of all those euilles which vncontrouled ignorance Hypocrisie and crueltie cculd haue brought amongst vs. It is small reason Princes should giue eare vnto these plots which leaue them naked without meanes to defend themselues or their Subiects in the time of danger nay those of the honorable and highe Court of Parliament are to thinke themselues and I doubt not but will iniured by such who haue taken from them on of the three States a State not of the least wisedome and grauitie and from them all that Authoritie which they ascribe to a number of ignorant and sillie Artificers for such some Consistories must needes bee and guided by a youth sometimes neither of wisedome nor vnderstanding It is miserable where men are ruled by no lawes seeing nothing is in man of greater daunger vnlimited than his owne will which imperiously commaundeth ouer his fancie that is able to corrupt and peruert all Rules of order Thus they interprete Tell the Church tell the Consistorie Which because Iohn Morrell did expound otherwise himselfe was excommunicated and his Booke burnt there is nothing more vsull than their pleasures to become Lawes A thing peraduenture men may affect which either desire Change or do hate gouernment but doubtles in it selfe Tyrannous and vnsufferable and so much the more odious and daungerous by how much the Rulers are base there gouernment lesse equall and once admitted not easie to be shaked of In on word There is nothing in the Lawes of this whole Land nay not in the possession of any priuate persoÌ„ safe if
of those times and the Art to speake euill had extended it selfe no further but to the infinite iniurie of the worthiest in this Church their error peraduenture might haue had pardon and that which was indeed the malitious consultation of a number would haue beene thought to haue beene but the madnesse of some fewe but after all this as either desiring themselues a sedition or being misledde by some politicke Atheist to be the actors of the Churches ruine they assemble in diuers places they make lawes despise Authoritie and leaue nothing that is violent vnatēpted In the midst of all which the happinesse of the Church was this that malice had not so much force as shee had Endeuour I am sorry that men endued with vnderstanding and making Religion to be the ground of what they did could so farre deceiue themselues and delude others as to thinke a practise so disordered so inconsiderat so vnciuill could possibly be allowed in an vnderstanding and well gouernd Kingdome only because it seemed to be masked with an Idle shadowe of a pure Zeale Now these proceedings that seeme to bee warranted by Religion are most easily spread abroade because all men presume themselues to haue an interrest in Religion and they are for the most part more hotly pursued than other strifes for as much as coldnesse which in other contentions may bee thought to proceede frō moderatiō is not in this so fauorably cōstrued This made them that if all other meanes fayled them they hoped to effect their desire by force of Armes To this end they write that in this quarrell for reformation a hundred thousand hands would be gotten and then say they you may easily think what stroke so many would strike togither Doubtlesse there is nothing that could sauour of greater sedition especially vnder so gratious a gouernment than being so violently addicted to their owne fancies what they could not obtaine by any quieter meanes rather than faile to seeke to establish it with th◠hazard of so much bloud Nay all seditions almost and the open Rebellions of all times haue proceeded at first from this ground that what in the beginning was but weakly thought vpon grew afterwardes to bee affected with more violence and in the end rather than to fayle to bee attempted by open warre I confesse the part against whom wee striue was a long while nothing feared the wisest contented not to call to minde how errors haue their effects many times not proportioned to that little appearance of reason wherupon they would seeme built but rather to vehement affection of Fancie which is cast towardes them and proceedeth from other causes And surely if a sparke of errour lightening in those dispositions which in all mens thinking were farthest from any inclination vnto furious attemptes was in all reason like to bee verie daungerous must not the perill thereof bee farre greater in men whose mindes are of themselues as drye fewell apt before hand vnto the tumults For surely in a cause of Religion men will strayne themselues vnto desperate aduentures for the reliese of their owne part though Lawe and authoritie bee both against them This then will bee a consideration of importance at this time both for the King and the high Court of Parliament when as it is like those humours will growe strong through confidence in their cause and a hope of friendes how vnsafe in reason it must needes bee to suffer the sparks to bee blowen that are almost quenched or to hazard an Established forme of Church Gouernment by experience found profitable with much peace in exchaunge with any newe imaginarie forme lesse warrantable in trueth and in all reason lesse possible to stand with the safety of the Commonwealth Now that wee haue laid open some part of their proceeding for this Discipline a poynt handled by vs sparingly and with great vnwillingnesse for hee that desireth to see more of their practises may read some Bookes written alreadie to that ende wee will briefely examine whether any man and vpon what reason doth endeauour to iustifie the proceeding of the Reformers in this kinde The Booke which wee Censured in the former Chapter called the Plea of the Innocent vndertaketh verie straungely in my opinion the defence of the proceeding in this whole cause For although the Author himselfe might haue assurance of his owne sinceritie whereof I can not accuse him though some doo yet surely hee could not bee so ignoraunt of what had past since the beginning of her late Maiesties Reigne nor so charitable to excuse the maner of it but that a defence of the whole Storie might haue beene better spared than written at that time and doubtlesse if all other meanes of opposition had fayled their owne dealing was an ouerthrow sufficient to that cause The first thing that hee misliketh is that they are called Puritanes and in the clearing them from all effectation of this name hee spendeth the whole Chapter making other of his brethren that seemed to bee lesse Religious and the Vniuersities places which in duetie hee ought to haue more honoured to bee the principall Authours of this name for to tearme them Puritanes But seeing the end of names is but to distinguish and those who first vsed it amongst vs did rather showe what their owne followers did esteeme of them and what themselues affected than what they were It cannot in reason bee an imputation to any that they were tearmed by that name Neither doo I thinke although diuers of them did glorie to bee so tearmed that this name first proceeded from vs but rather that the Church of Rome seeing vs to reforme our selues to a purer Religion than they professed and that diuers amongest vs not content with that desired yet to be more pure accounting all of vs to bee Heretikes these by a speciall name as affecting to seeme more holy than others a common practise of the Heretikes in olde time they tearmed by the name of Puritanes so that the fault which hee layeth vpon vs doubtlesse had his originall from those of the Church of Rome and therefore one Rishton in a Table dedicated to Cardinall Allen then Gouernour of Doway maketh Puritanisme an Heresie which began in the yeare 1563. neither do I thinke it can easily bee found that any Protestant in England before that time in any publike writing vsed the name of Puritan for no man can bee ignorant but that hee who was the strongest first opposite to this new discipline and handled this argument with greatest learning was himselfe in all precisenes farre purer than those that most gloried in that name and was neuer an aduersary to any of this cause that was not eyther malitious arrogant or an hypocrite neyther is it fit to lay that distinction vpon the Vniuersitie of youthes and Prescisians as this pleader doth as though all that were not for this new Reformation were like one Athacius who bending himselfe by all
authority in matters that coÌ„cerne Religion the other that the care of Princes to maintaine Religion ought only to be with these word but to coÌ„fute errors to reforme Churches to call Synods These they thinke to be peculiar to the Pope himselfe The contrary to both these wee are taugh by Scriptures by Historie by Fathers and by Testimonie of some of the Popes themselues who haue earnestly intreated the Christian Emperours to call Councels This then being in the opinion of all that are of sound iudgement both the greatest care and honor to a Christian prince let vs consider a little those pointes that are absolutely requisite for the Religious performing of this duty the person whom wee call the Prince is hee that hath supreame authoritie according to the forme of that kingdome wherein he ruleth In humane actions that they may be performed aright it is requisite that we are willing that we haue knowledg that we haue power with out the first our knowledge abilitie do want motion without the second our motion ability shal want skill without the third our motion and skil shal want strength The first is an vnestimable benefit bestowed vpoÌ„ religious princes from the powerfull Author of all pietie in this respect all men are bound to commend them to God more especially in their prayers assuring our selues that vnlesse wee or they faile hee that hath giuen them to will shall inhable them at length to performe it likewise The best assurance to discerne the Author of this wil is the considerations of the ends which are only two Gods glory and the good of others which being not the scope of their actioÌ„ it is no more possible that God should bee the Author of that will than that goodnes is possible to bee the Author of much euill Ends of doing which lye in the hart of man and are onely discerned by God himselfe are the true discouerers what is the originall fountain of that we doo For the same things are not alwaies of the same nature though the maner of performing be all one if the ends be diuers The second thing is knowledge not of much lesse necessitie than the former wherby hee may bee truely assured what things are vnfit and what are warrantable to bee reformed neither this onely in general and by others but if it bee possible in euery particular and of himselfe A happines wheresoeuer it is neither least worth nor least power to make happy both the Church CoÌ„monwealth This only was thought to bring greatnes ruine both at once into the Church of Rome whilst Emperors being busied with other affairs left the gouernment to the Bishops the Bishops to the Suffragans these to the Monks whose authority knowledge being much lesse all things were ruled with greater corruption lesse truth To auod this Moses coÌ„mandeth the Princes day night to be exercised in reading the holy Scripture next to haue those about theÌ„ who are lerned honest it is a maime to a Prince to be assisted by any that do want either For to be learned without Zeal is to make aduaÌ„tage to theÌ„selues by a publick losse to be Zealous without skil is to couÌ„sel ofteÌ„times to matters that do much hurt As the former maketh a King coÌ„monly to be ouer dissolute so these other do make him to be too rigorous it is a memorable exaÌ„ple of Ioas the King of Iuda whilst he had Ieboida the priest assistaÌ„t to him al things happily succeeded to him to his whole Realme but with his death the King being destitute of such all things as speedily came to great ruine To further the Kings knowledge it is a means neither of least honor nor vse to call Synods of those Churches that imbrace the truth and in them to asemble men of best learning moderation and least partiall whose consultatioÌ„ for disputatioÌ„ is a means both to conteÌ„tious insolent to finde a truth may serue for resolution of such points as weaknes in humility would be glad to learn It is lost labour in any farre vnbefitting the honour of Kings to vndertake with Curiositie pride to get knowledge seeing the one is not desirous to learne the other desirous for to learne too much This hath bin the Care of all religious Emperors Constantine the great in the case of Arrius called the Councell of Nice Thus Theodosius the great in the case of Nestorius the Councel of Ephesus Valentinian and Martian the Councell of Chalcedon against Eutiches Iustinian the Councell of Constantinople against Seuerus the Patriarch of Antioch which renued the error of Eutyches Constantine the fift The sixt Synod against the Monothelyts George the Patriarch of Constantinople Macharius the Patriarch of Antioch their followers the third thing is ability which shall easily receiue greatest strength from hence if all lesser differeces remoued a perfect concord agreement be made with those of the same ReligioÌ„ If Israel and Iuda be at variance both shal be caried into Captiuity the one into Assyria the other into Babilon Thus the Eternall power punisheth our pride the fountaine of our dissention with captiuity to learn vs amitie friendship in a strange land Oh that IerusaleÌ„ were built as a City at vnitie in it selfe If any man yet doubt of the authority of kings in Ecclesiasticall causes ouer sâ—ch persons let them know that inâ— al ages with good warrant Princes haue displaced and iudged men of the Church as ReligioÌ„ reason desert haue moued them Salomon displaced Abyathar and placed Zadock Theodosius Valentinian made a decree that those which were infected with the impiety of Nestorius should be deposed Iustinian is coÌ„mended for deposing Silueirus Vigilius Ieremy his case was heard of the Princes Cecilian Athanasius being wronged appealed to ConstaÌ„tine seeing theÌ„ this cloud of witnesses against theÌ„ let theÌ„ hereafter not so vnreuerently as some haue done account those persons Bauds to al maner of sins in Princes who maintain theÌ„ to be free froÌ„ excoÌ„munication neither need they to fear as some of them say thaâ— this opinion proceedeth froÌ„ a worse cause than froÌ„ simple error But the boldnes of some to excoÌ„municate the Prince at their pleasure hath both giuen incouragement to seek alteration without reuerence pereÌ„ptorily to call that reformation which is but their own fancies hereunto I might add which is obserued by others that this Consistory taketh appeals or the right of redresse for all wrongs offered in Ecclesiasticall Courts from the power of the Prince for they themselues sitting in Christs Tribunall seat it can be neither lawful nor warrantable to appeale from them besides the law giueth vnto the Prince the Nomiuation of Bishops some other Electiue dignities in the Church the custody of Bishops Temporalties during the vacation And patronage paramoÌ„t or right to present by the last lapse but these giue election of Church Offices to their Consistories
if we finde both the words and the deedes of the best amongst them to haue been such as no man hath reason to allow it cannot choose but seeme strange that any one carefull of what he vttereth should become a patron to that proceeding which is no sooner barely rehearsed but must vnto all men of necessitie appeare to be without warrant For iffailing in Cmilitie of tearmes their actions had beene more milde or if ouer seene in their Actions their words had beene of a better temper some colorable snow might haue been their excuse which now is wanting seeing they doe faile in both and therefore euen to discouer their proceedings is to ouerthrow theÌ„ As few Societies are or can be hoped to be without some euill so the principall remedies in the iudgement of wise men haue been thought to be three First that all things corrupted by time should with discretion be brought to their first Institution SecoÌ„dly if this were not to be hoped for they might vtterly be abolished Thirdly that no InnocatioÌ„s were permitted to begin and being begun immediatly by the hand of Authoritie to be cut of The first of these was called Reformation which is a repetion or Restitution of the auncient deede So that to Reform is not to make new but to restore to his former well being what time and corruption by continuance had made euill Now as authoritie and wisedome are both requisite to performe this so must it needs be a disorder in those that would reforme and doe want both And it cannot bee but a great ouersight in them Who hauing thus erred ought to bee silent and craue pardon dare aduenture notwithstanding to plead this cause and to publish Apologies in there owne defence Wee will not touch the first Authors and Originalles of this euill being deriued from those who then both for scituation and gouernment were straungers to our state But only make it appeare that since the beginning of our last Soueriegnes reigne what holinesses so euer was pretended the whole proceeding in matters of Reformation both in worde and deede was altogether vnlawfull and without warrant A thing howsoeuer obserued by diuers heeretofore yet not vnfit to be handled in this place and at this time The ground of that euill which followed was layd in Queene Maries time in whose Zealous gouernment a Zeale in others of our Countrie from other forreigne places in both peraduenture a like euill sowed the vncleane seede of those immoderat growing tares which since haue daungered our whole Church Neither can the goodnesse of Religion bee any warrant for euill doeing seeing what is lawfull where true Religion doth seeme to giue leaue must of necessitie bee as Lawfull being permitted by a Religion or don for a Religion though it be false So that it was no more fit for priuat and Inferiour persons at that time by violence to remoue Idolatrie the contrarie whereof was their Doctrine than in times much purer which haue since followed it was or could be lawfull for any of the Church of Rome by inuasion or treason to establish the Doctrine of that Sea This euer remaining a true rule That good then deserueth the name of euill when being good it ceaseth to bee well done and no Religion can warrant to pull downe Kings when true Religion doth commaund that whatsoeuer their Religion is wee must obay them either in suffering with patience what they impose or in dooing with obedience what they doe commaund So that the iust hatred of Idolatrie seruing to giue warrant to what they did then in times when the Church was much polluted hath been not the least occasioÌ„ since to attempt the like and farre worse when by many degrees the times the Religion was more pure And I am sorie so good a man by name should publish to the world a Doctrine so false and daungerous that it should be lawfull to kill wicked Kings and Tyrants Neither had this being but the priuat error of one been in all respectes so daungerous if an other for his place a Deane and not meanely esteemed had in not his preface to that Booke affirmed it to be the doctrine of the best and most learned in those partes meaning as I thinke Caluin and the rest So that all thinges being duely weighed the practise of those in that time for religion was neither more honest nor lawfull than the late practises of those of the Church of Rome neither let any man thinke that Religion can be a warrant for that deed which must remaine an euerlasting blemish to that Religion that caused it to bee doone Others our countrie had at that time men of famous and worthie memorie which liued in Zuriech Basâ—ll and Franckefort these discretly obserued without Innouation the reformation established in King Edwardes dayes Nowe when those that had liued in Geneua and obserued with what policie Caluin and others swayed the whole gouernment a thing peraduenture neither much contradict seeing the worthinesse of the man nor Difficult to effect considering the forme of that state they began sayling in both repects being equal only in a violeÌ„t Zeale to attempt the like discipline in their owne Countrey A thing so much the lesse sufferable by how much the parties were meaner the gouernment of their Countrie farre better and the alteration not safe in so great a Kingdome And yet at that time the Zeale of these contented it selfe little to meddle in shew with the matters of disciplie but rather was busied about the apparell of Ministers Cerimonies prescribed and amendment as they thought of the Communion booke But after so hardly are those things limited which are but the workes of a strong fancie those that succeeded made their discipline an essentiall Note of the true Church were as ready as they said to become Martyrs in that quarell as for the defence of any Article of the Christian faith of whom I may say as Saint Austine doth of some such they were Martyrs if they had died of a foolish Philosophy Out of this strong and vehement perswasion of well doing and from a desire of goodnes peraduenture in some although it is like that those who were most earnest had not the best conscience were published sundrie Dialogues able to haue iniured a good cause complaints petitions to her Maiestie and the Parliament in the name of the Comunaltie their appellations their exhortations fiue or six seuerall supplications to the Parliament Martyns vnhallowed Imitations of Passauantius The humble motion to the Lords of the Councill and diuers other of the like nature in manner of Register collected into one volume These many such for it were infinit and of small vse to reckon all were the chiefe and the best meanes their learning wisedome and holinesse thought fit for the gaining of Authoritie to this new discipline but if these immodest libelles had beene the worst fruites
the statute required in this kinde It is like he rather desired to tell the world that he was an actor in the troubles of that time then to giue reasons for that which he and they did or to craue with submission pardon of the Church for that which they did not Aboute the yeere saith one 1571. subscription was inforced vpon the Ministerie for which cause in that time certaine men wrote an admonition to the Parliament opening diuers things worthie of reformation whereupō arose great volumes of prouing defending c. But in the middest of these fiery contentions a goodly space of quietnes about the time that the reuerend father Maister Grindall was Archbishop of Canterburie c. after the said archbishops death there came forth a new fresh assault of subscription vniuersally imposed and againe inforced vpon all the ministers in three articles first of the Queenes maiesties soueraigne authoritie ouer all persons c. secondly that the booke of common prayer and of ordayning Bishops Priests and Deacons containe in it nothing contrarie to the word of God c. thirdly to allowe and approue all the articles of religion agreed vpon by the Archbishop and Bishops c 1562 and to beleeue all therein contained to be agreeable to God The Ministers offered freely and willingly to subscribe to the first article of her Maiesties most lawfull authoritie and for the other two they refused to doe any further then by law they were bound and namely according to the statute made for that purpose Anno 13. Hereupon many in diuers shires were suspended from the execution of their ministery and some depriued And in another place We cannot tell whether we might by the lawes and order of this realme subscribe although it were otherwise lawfull by Gods word it concerneth the whole state aduisedly to consider that the holy ministers of God be not oppresse lwith an vniust subscription This the author calleth in another place the first great storme that fell vpon them and in another place this he maketh to be the fruites of subscription that the unpreaching minister and the non-resident are both warranted by it and in another place it is meaning subscription against many good and learned ministers and some it thrusteth out Others before this author both for time and worthines haue stifly but I doubt scarse considerately refused obedience in this point The some of all their reasons tending to this end that many obscure vntruthes were contained in those things whereunto they required that they should subscribe all aiming at this that nothing was euer so greeuous in the Church to the humours and dispositions of these men as to giue by subscription their allowance vnto that which the lawes had done One of them to the Lords of the councell speaking of subscription when D. Whitgift was made Archbishop and set forth his vnaduised deuise of subscription it seemed as a strong pot of brasse that would soone haue broken in peeces all the power of poore ministers and made discipline in vtter contempt I will only put the reader in minde that though it were no dishonor vnto his grace to be the author of so wise an order for the Church yet the same by their owne confession was a lawe before her Maiestie had called him to be a Bishop another for it were endlesse and of little vse to alleage the reasons of Iohnson preacher at Northhampton of Grayer and many besides published to this end being more learned yet in my opinion lesse religious thē the rest hath set downe some reasons why the Bishops doc vrge subscription t◠her Maiesties authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall first for a hope of a more sure setlednes to themselues and their followers that none may hereafter preach against the lordlynes of prelates that none may preach against ciuill offices in a preiate that none may speake against baptisme by women that none may preach against an vnlearned ministerie that none may preach against any corruption yet established whatsoeuer A strange collection thus to aime at the intention of making lawes But we say no otherwise of him then a father did in the like case His words showe vs wholy what he is and if we therefore know him not because we haue not seene his face neither doth he knowe himselfe because he doth not see his face But these doubtles and such like are but as Saint Hierome calles them the hissings of the old serpent For wise men would haue thought that these had had nothing to haue spokē vnlesse they had propounded this to thēselues to haue spoken euill But seeing the tenor of them all is all one an vnreuerent estimation and speaking of men in authoritie and lawes that are made by them a fault surely not small nor easily forgiuen if the cause were vertuous I must needes before I answere them giue them this aduise which I hope some will follow they that do as Gennadius reporteth of one Seuerus seduced to bee a pelagian acknowledge their loquacitie with him and keepe silence vnto death that they may recompence by their silence what they haue offended in speaking Now before we answere this which they haue alleadged against subscription the consideration of the nature of that doubtles must be fittest which in all reason ought to be accounted the best warrant to excuse them both in this and the rest which they doe refuse a reason which cannot be the same to all and in those in whom it is found without deceite they are rather to be pittied and instructed then to be vrged to that which how lawfull so euer their conscience gainesaying they doe make a sinne For though the conscience of man allowing cannot make that to be no sinne which the lawe doth yet the conscience forbidding may make that to be a sinne which the lawe doth not And therefore amongst men of wisedome and vertue there is no Plea that ought to be heard with so much attention as when men for that which they doe or doe not truely and sincerely doe alleadge their conscience Now as the coullorable excuse for refusing to subscribe must be the weaknes of such mens conscience who were perswaded in themselues the things to be vnlawfull whereunto they were required to giue allowance so surely a double fault must lie vpon them if there be any such who making no conscience of those things pretend only the greatest bond vpon earth to be the lawfull warrant of refusing of that which they would not doe And surely where feare and humilitie are both wanting there it is ouer much charity to thinke that they make a conscience All men vnderstand not aright what that is which they alledge for themselues when they say their conscience There is naturally ingrafted in the heart of man that light of nature which neuer can be put out that telleth him that no euill is to be done Now reason according to the knowledge that it hath
A Modest and reasonable examination of some things in vse in the Church of England sundrie times heretofore misliked and now lately in a Booke called the Plea of the Innocent and an Assertion for true and Christian Church policy made for a full satisfaction to all those that are of iudgement and not possessed with a preiudice against this present Church Gouernment wherein the principall poynts are fully and peaceably aunswered which seeme to bee offensiue in the Ecclesiasticall State of this Kingdome The Contentes whereof are set downe in the Page following By William Couell Doctor of Diuinitie Eccles. Chap. 3.1 The children of wisedome are the Church of the righteous and their ofspring is obedience and loue AT LONDON Printed by Humfrey Lownes for Clement Knight and are to be solde at his shop at the Signe of the holy Lambe in Saint Paules Churchyard 1604. The Contents of this Booke Chap. 1 KIngs and Princes haue authoritie and ought to haue care for the Church gouernment page 1 2 The Church visible of all other Societies is fittest to haue a Discipline but neuer the same that some men desire page 13 3 The Censure of a booke called The Plea of the Innocent pa. 25 4 The proceeding of the Reformers wholly vnlawfull pag. 32 5 Of Contention pag. 46 6 Of Ceremonies pag. 55 7 Of Subscription pag. 75 8 Of Discipline pag. 94 9 Of Archbishops and Bishops pag. 103 10 Of Ministers their Office and learning pag. 124 11 Of the maintenance of Ministers and of Tithes pag. 142 12 Of Non Residencie Pluralities and Dispensations pag. 159 13 Of publike prayer and of the defectes supposed to be in the Liturgie of the Church of England pag. 174 14 Of Tolleration of diuers Religions and how farre dissenting opinions from the true Christian faith may and ought to bee permitted in one and the same Kingdome pag. 196 15 An humble conclusion to his sacred Maiestie and the Right Honorable Lords of his Highnesse priuie Councill together with the rest whom it may concerne to defend this Church page 206 Deo omnis Potestas Gloria To the Right Honourable and most Reuerend father in God c. my verie good Lord the Lord Bishop of LONDON ⸫ THe word Right honorable is in great trauell with much euill when she shall be deliuered he onely knoweth who measureth al times with his hand and before whose eye lieth open that bottomlesse aeternitie it selfe The faces of Kingdomes and States according to the prosperitie and aduersitie of the Church amongest them sometimes looke heauily and sometimes chearfully as refreshed with more good Man whose Reason and Religion serueth to number these things feeleth in himselfe a true diuinitie manifested by that pure ambition of being greater than hee yet can bee whilest notwithstanding in the sence and feare of these things hee stoopeth as to a burthen that is too heauâ—e Religious and mature wisedome the safest builders of true greatnesse assureth men in prouidence to preuent the worst things or at least by foresight growing familiar with theÌ„ teacheth how to beare them with much patience fewe Kingdomes there are which haue not eyther more scarres in the Church not fully cured or else greater signes of greater insuing euils than our owne I am loth to be thought to flatter a fault whereunto I am not vsually subiect and a thing needlesse being the greatest hatred from the greatest loue which euerie beareth to himselfe but I may say truly and I doubt not but what I say the world thinketh the greatest part of this good next our dread Souereigne is now without enuie bee it spoken your owne The consideration whereof hath made me out of that infinite loue and duty which I owe to his Grace being dead and your Honour yet aliue to dedicate these labours to you both in the defence of that Church which truth experience her aduersaries haue proued for gouernment the most absolute since the Apostles time That it is vndertaken by me is the greatest disaduantage to this cause that it is continued and daily receiueth strength from authority is amongst infinite blessings the greatest and most vnspeakable of this Church I haue dealt as your Honour well knoweth in this cause with a threefolde disaduantage one that it hath so fully beene handled by so many of great learning heretofore so that at this time a defence was rather requisite to tell those that hope for alteration that our Church is still of the same iudgement and spake not heretofore onely to please that State a second is that the things disliked are not differences of any great learning seeing wee deale with aduersaries whose chiefest hope dependeth vpon the allowance of vnlearned followers so that Demonstrations of reason are more requisite than proofes from authoritie Last of all they are a generation apt and skilfull to speake euill I haue carefully and according to my naturall disposition auoided all occasion that might prouoke them to it yet I looke for no other neither by the grace of God so that this paines may benefit the Church do I much care the strongest tyrant of things and men is fancy the truest gouernour Religion hallowed follies when they are vnmasked are but at the best the weake opinions of simple men of whom notwithstanding if they had learned humilitie and obedience this Church might haue much vse your Lordship is besides that particular duty and thankefulnesse which I owe vnto you executor of his Testament and Inheritour of his vertues that was the true owner and possessor of these labours which if it please your Honour to accept with their vnworthie Author into your more priuate and inward affection It shall bee my happinesse to be your seruant and their credit by your Lordships meanes to doe seruice to this Church Thus in the assurance of this hope crauing pardon for my boldnesse I humbly take my leaue desiring God to blesse you with all Graces fit for so high a place and with contentment and long life to my singular comfort and the especiall benefit of this Church May 27. 1604. Your Lordships in all dutie WILLIAM COVELL To the Christian Reader IF the immoderate desire of reformation in some men had not extended it selfe further than eyther Religion or reason would wel permit and especially at that time when thankfulnesse exacted from vs all something like a Sabbath for that blessed Rest continued to this Church by the meanes of our dread Souereigne this cause and some others not yet published had with their vnworthy authors slept in a long and a charitable silence and whereas the miraculous blessings bestowed and continued vpon this land could no otherwise rightly be vnderstood than the true effectes of that Church which was planted in it seeing as S. Ambrose saith That is Charitie to be expected that is Charitie greater than the Empire if that faith bee inuiolate which preserueth the Empire I thought it vnfit to let these men vnderstand that
the peace of this Church was litle beholding to their paines who in the middest of an vniuersall ioy sounded a seditious Alarum to a second warre which as it could be no lesse than inconsiderate Zeale in some of the Tribe of Leui to drawe their swords against their Reuerend Religious Fathers as if with Aaron they had beene guiltie of erecting a Golden Calfe so we hope in the opinion of the most seuere our defence shall neither be thought needlesse nor out of season wherein peraduenture our labour is of lesse vse because we encounter in particular men of no greate authoritie in this Church whom our directions were first to haue answered in another manner but finding that to follow their steps had beene onely but to tread often in the same pathes which were wearisome in themselues and could haue brought little aduantage to this publike cause we rather resolued hauing the approbation of authoritie to giue allowance to defend a necessary weighty â—ighteous and publike Church gouernment than onely to reproue and confute some particular obscure and priuate men for accusing gaineth not that admittance in the eares of indifferent Readers which defending doth and herein I may safely protest I looked at no other scope in the labour and cost of this vnpleasing imployment than the discharge of my particular dutie and the performance of that seruice which I owed vnto this Church yet if I had known which I vnderstand since that some more of Master Hookers works had bene recouered from the iniurie of men and time once againe to speake in the defence of this truth I woulâ— most willingly haue obserued the praecept of the Sonne of Sirach Thou that art yong speake if need be and yet scarcely when thou art twice asked for the same things but who is able to speake the same things that he did being spoken by diuers are not the same and for my selfe if any man thinke this defence a presumption I may boldly say as Eâ—â—u did Behold I did wait vpon the words of the auncient and hearkened to their knowledge But seeing wee are children of that Church whose prosperitie was enuied and peace hindered by the aduersaries of this cause wee could not but let them vnderstand that the voyces of Angels of men and of time and all against them and if wee were in the comparison of them as they boâ—st of number but like the children of Ruben and the children of Gad and the Tribe of Manasses in respect of all Israell besides yet if they will needes send vs a message by Phyneas the sonne of Eleazar and ten Princes with him saying What transgression is this that ye haue transgressed against the God of Israell to turne away this day from the Lord in that ye haue built you an Altar for to rebell this day against the Lord Haue wee too little for the wickednesse of Peor whereof wee are not cleansed this day though a plague came vpon the congregation of the Lord Wee must aunswere them as they did The Lord God of Gods the Lord God of Gods he knoweth and Israell himselfe shall know if by rebellion or by transgression against the Lord we haue done it saue thou vs not this day If wee haue built vs an Altar to returne away from the Lord eyther to offer burnt offerings or meat offerings or to offer peace offerings thereon let the Lord himselfe require it And if wee haue not rather done it for feare of this thing c. vnto vers 30. Wee hope they will giue vs leaue if their Zeale make them iealous of any thing vsed or admitted in our Church to tell them that these are witnesses betwixt them and vs. c. Betweene our forefathers and our generations after vs to execute the seruice of the Lord before him in our Lyturgie in our prayers in our Sacraments and that neither their children nor the children of any Idolatrous Church should say to our children in time to come Yee haue no part in the Lord and if for all this they cease not the heape reproaches vpon that Church whose absolute gouernment they ought with thankfulnesse to imbrace and with loue to honour we must tell them as Saint Hierom doth that amongest ChristiaÌ„s not he that suffereth but he that offereth reproach is wretched Wherein surely of all that euer laboured in this cause he endured most with most patience whom vertue crownd with much Honour in this life and according to his owne propheticall word ouercame whilest he suffered and now triumpheth And for my selfe Gentle Reader I resolue humbly to endure whatsoeuer it pleaseth the vsuall impatience of their furie to lay vpon mee saying with Saint Austen In a good conscience I speake it Hee that willingly doth detract from my good name vnwillingly doth add to my reward For I lay with Saint Ambrose Let no man thinke that there is more weight in the slaunder of another than in the testimonie of his owne conscience Farewell CHAP. 1. Kings and Princes haue Authoritie and ought to haue care for the Church gouernment WWhere right hath no other aduantage but Fortune and Weaknesse hath got strength from opinion of Zeale there it is no lesse safe to maintaine error than amongst better dispositions to defend a trueth The Circle of time the best discouerer of mens secret ends and not the least nor the least violent circumstance ouer the means must at length make knowen to the weakest eye that is able to discerne least who haue beene thought wicked and prophane in humilitie for maintayning a truth and who proudly haue beene opposites to this end that being ignorant and vnhonest they might bee thought to bee learned and seeme righteous As there is not any one action since the time that this Land first embraced true Religion wherein more violent and vnnaturall dispositions haue discouered themselues than in and for the Church gouernment so is there nothing wherein the Wisedome Vertue and Souereigntie of Kings doth and ought more to appeare than in the well ordering of that Societie where vnto the most vsuall and greatest harmes haue commonly proceeded from too much Zeale For that which man once apprehendeth as vertuous to bee done without great iudgement and moderation hee seldome tempereth himselfe from doing it eyther ouer-eagerly or ouermuch This as it swayeth with Inferior persons who for the most part haue no easier and speedier meanes to become eminent so it is hardly tempered in those Princes being eminent alreadie whose vertuous education hath made them religious this being in one action to the people the best assurance they can expect for themselues the best testimony of a good conscience and toward God a demeanour least vnthankfull for any straunge or miraculous deliuerance that they haue receiued All these being made stronger when a new people are become subiects when all men are disposed to giue strength to their hopes and make collection from Signes and when deliuerances are
the execution of such lawes would haue giuen tolleration for a time that they might be resolued if by their humilitie they manifested a desire that they had to learne but seâ—ing they confesse that by the late Queenes Iniunctions all superstitious ceremonies are taken away â—s shrines tables pictures and such like a testimonie not vnworthely giuen to the reformed gouernment of so good a Prince it is but a slender exception annexed such doe we take the surplesse to be A weake eye surely would haue seene a difference and an humble minde would haue indured much more rather then by such violent oppositions to haue so farre troubled the Churches peace I cannot well obserue in the tennor of that last defence the Plea of the innocent what their constant opinion is concerning the cerimonies misliked in our Church vnlesse they meane that they are idle indifferent and humane ordinations whilest they are commaunded but being disobeyed by them they are waightâ—i and great causes able to warrant resistance and rebellion in the highest measure I wish they would either account them as trifles and so being commaunded not so stifly refuse to vse them or else esteeme them matters of great moment and so thinke the gouernors of the Church haue reason and warrant so much to vrge them But the things say they in controuersie which wee desire to bee reformed and others earnestly maintaine are but accessarie additaments brought into the Church by humane constitution and without these the religion would stand But we are sure that once being brought in they are to be obeyed for conscience and surely the religion that would stand without them with them shall be able to stand much better Many things which are not requisâ—t for the being are notwithstanding required to the well being But afterward speaking of themselues as desirous to be iustified for their dealing in this cause they call it a good iust and waâ—ghtie cause founded in Gods word iniuriously reputed and tearmed an accidentall fancie and deuise I hope wise men from their owne wrytings will obserue the dealings of these men that they may not be vrged by authoritie to obedience a poynt of religion I wish they had well learned they call these things but additaments fit enough to bee contemned because they are humane constitutions and yet after to approue their obstinacie for refusing of them they call them waightie causes this contrarietie may peraduenture deceiue some but truth at the length will discouer it selfe Falsehoode is slight and shines through if we looke into it These onely mislike what they are not authoâ—s of themselues and euer labour for excuses as reasons to warrant what they doe mislike They thinke and say it is pitrie necessarie seruice wherein I thinke they vnderstand their preaching should be houlden backe by these vnnecessarie ceremonies But if vnnecessarie whereof it is not fit for them to be iudges why doe they not rather yeeld vnto them by conformitie then depriue themselues by their obstinacie of doing that good which by obedience they might and if any man thinke these ceremonies vnlawfull as weaknes may stumble in the plainest way why doe not they who haue cast these doubts show which they are the daungers of them and aduer tise those as becommeth them that make lawes seeing we vse none but those which the law doth warrant besides if abuses had crept in with these ceremonies and things tollerated first for good ends could not afterward be retained but with great abuse these only had been to be remoued by authoritie and not from the fancies of priuate men It is their error who thinke it the act of reformation to take things away and not onely the abuse for reformation is properly the repetition and restitution of the auncient vse neither can that be said to be reformed which is made new far be it from vs faith an auncient Father that things which are good and lawfull if through the corruption of some few they become hurtfull that this should be imputed to vs as our fault For thus the vse of all things were daungerous and vnlawfull seeing nothing can be so profitably imployed from whence daunger may not arise vnto those that snall vse them otherwise Doubtles they haue done much in this that haue been before vs yet some thing may be added by those which follow wherein if we alter or dissent from them it can be no blemish to their names which are not mentioned by vs but with much honor It is sufficient Rome knew not Cato but when she lost him And the innocencie vertue of Rutilius had laine secret if he had not receiued iniurie But diseases as a wise man noteth sometimes ouertake those that are most temperate punishment those that are most innocent tumults those that are most secret But to conclude this point and to iâ—stifie the Church of England in the matter of ceremonie wherein she hath heard euil by some of her owne children without cause I doubt not to affirme that few men haue euer red any iudgement or censure of ceremonies written with greater moderation and learning then that which is published next after the preface in the communon booke out of which it shall not bee amisse to note the iust reprehension of the intemperat affectours of innouation as also the lawfull defence of such ceremonies as soberly they are vsed in our Church Cerimonies there are which though they haue been deuised by man yet it is thought good to reserue them still as well for a decent order in the Church for the which they were first deâ—ised as because they pertaine to edification whereunto all things done in the Church as the Apostle teacheth oâ—ght to be referred and although the keeping or omitting of a cerimonie in it selfe considered is but a small thing yet the willfull and contemptuous transgression and breaking of a common order and discipline is no small offence before God let all things be done among you saith Saint Paul in a seemely and due order the appoyntment of which order pertaineth not to priuate men therefore no man ought to take in hand nor presume to appoint or alter any publike or common order in Christs Church except he be lawfully called and authorised thereunto And as concerning those persons which peraduenture wil be offended for that some of the old cerimonies are retained still if they consider that without some cerimonies it is not possible to keepe any order or quiet discipline in the Church they shall easily perceiue iust cause to reforme their iudgements and if they thinkâ— much that any of the old remaine and would rather haue all deuised anew then such men graunting some cerimonies conuenient to be had surely where the old may be well vsed there they cannot reasonably reproue the old onely for their age without bewraying their owne folly For in such a case they ought rather to haue reuerence vnto them for their
so long as the authoritie that commaundeth is all one nor can we vnlesse we flatter our selues ouer much thinke that we are obedient to God whilest we are willing to disobey those whom he in his wisedome hath placed ouer vs. Neither are we so much to waie in things not simply vnlawfull what that is that is commaunded as with this to be content that it is commaunded This if it had been duely considered by some in our Church they had neither gloried so much that in not yeelding to order they were vnlike others neither had they with such showe of reason labored to make the ignorant beleeue that the lawfull wise and religious exacting of subscription was like vnto an inquisition and the tyranous requiring of an vnlawfull thing But in this fact wherein the wisdome of authoritie was thought too cruell they are able to answere why they did refuse For what men being inioyned by order doe not doubtlesse of that in equitie they are bound to giue a reason which whilest some haue laboured to performe in this kinde the world hath seene what small and weake excuses they haue had to refuse obedience a thing which must in the end lie heauie vpon them that haue made resistance without cause or else vpon them that without warrant did exact it from them Neither haue these refusers of subscription been onely actors themselues in this disobedience but the authors by their example haue thrust with violence men of lesse learning and greater moderation into the like contempt This being as one noteth the principall vnhappines of those men that they had the authoritie of the aged and the faults of youth Who being in this as they thought to publish their vertue were supposed not without cause in the opinion of wise men that they affected glorie The Church hath found the example of these to be very daungerous who were thought in that wherein they did amisse to be very holy For such a one few are willing to reproue and example doth inlarge the fault when the sinner is honored for the reuerence of his person Doubtles there was no act since the death of Queene Mary either of greater wisedome to preserue the peace of the Church in those that were first authors of it or of more daungerous disobedience in the refusers then the act of subscription was A practise not first inuented by vs but arising of it selfe euen from that naturall care which ought to be in all of authoritie to take securitie as it were for the good behauiour of all such as are admitted to teach others By this one act both binding their hands and tongues from any way disabling the Churches orders and testifying to the world the vnitie of that Church where all of one calling haue giuen their approbation to those lawfull ordinations which authoritie in wisdome moderation and vertue haue set downe Whereby it appeareth as their grieuance to be lesse so their fault to be much greater then they thinke who haue refused to subscribe and haue labored with others to doe the like whilest notwithstanding they haue giuen their hands and doe daily not onely to their owne dicipline wherein the best amongst themselues agree not and the meaner haue not knowledge toexamine but also to false suggestions intemperate petitions vniust complaints lawes and ordinances of their owne For all which they haue by many degrees lesse warrant than to subscribe to that which they doe refuse This onely being the difference that they distaste any thing that is not new and their hands are ruled by example and fancie in that they doe Wherein if they had well considered in humilitie that obedience which the Church might exact of them as also without preiudice the lawfulnes of those things whereunto they were required to set their hands doubtles the vrging would not haue been thought a matter of so much rigor nor the refusing be so much defended as a thing lawfull For what indifferent man can thinke it vnmeete that when the Prince and the Parliament haue made orders Caâ—ons Iniunctions Articles or any thing of that kinde for the vniformitie in the Church gouernment that a Bishop hauing authoritie to institute into spirituall liuings with cure should require by subscription a consent vnto these things before he be admitted in to that charge A thing if by his owne authoritie for the peace of that dioces committed to his care the Bishop had done surely the fault had been much lesse then in any that had refused to performe obedience But seeing the law doth inioyne subscription and that they howsoeuer wronged by the clamorous complaints of some are but ministers to see the due execution of the law for the peace of the Church they haue as little reason to lay the burthen of this vpon the Bishops shoulders as a robber by the high way his apprehension arrainment and execution to the iustice charge The law in them both hauing made that prouision that they which doe what the law forbids or doe not what the law commaunds must be content for their owne fault willingly to suffer what the law inflicts And therefore it must needes be by so much the more strange that men who are content to flatter the Prince the Parliament and those that doe make lawes can thinke themselues warranted to refuse obedience and reuile those honorable and reuerend persons to whom onely is committed the execution of them Besides places times and persons orderly with iudgement and conscience concurring to make lawes euery person in the land hauing resigned his particular intrest to those who are assembled to that end all after examination is debarred to all how wise so euer who are not admitted to that and at that time much more to the rest whose weakenes of iudgement cannot without apparant suspition of intollerable pride take vpon them the examination of those lawes before they can easily be drawne to subscribe vnto them The particular exceptions that are made by them although seuerally answered by sundrie most learned and graue men heretofore yet then we shall better examine when we come to the defence of the Communion booke Onely we say now that the vrging of subscription so farre as the Bishops doe and ought is warranted by lawe from man and the disobedience of those who refuse to doe it is no way warranted by the lawes of God So that both the tumultuous and clamorous outcries which they haue raised onely for this and the slender excuses pretended for so foule a fact are but like the coullerable rebellions which for inlarging of commons the basest of the people haue stirred vp But least peraduenture I should doe them wrong I am willing that the reader should heare them speake And herein I will make choyse of him who comming later then the rest vndertaking from the writings of others to pleade the cause hath labored to free them from this great fault and to iustifie that they haue performed so much as
themselues which they doe refuse The conscience which doth erre though it binde vntill it be reformed ought notwithstanding to be reformed because either ignorance negligence pride inordinate affection faintnes perplexitie or selfe loue are the corrupt and originall causes of the errors of it So that if none of these haue ouerruled the conscience of these men but that knowledge with due consideration hath directed them in that they did we haue great reason to harken to their excuse and to regarde them with more attention whilest with reuerence and humilitie they alleage their conscience In the meane time for remedie against these errors let them not disdaine the counsell which wise men haue found to be most safe if it be of ignorance to say with Iehosaphat we know not what to doe but our eyes are towards thee if of negligence to come without partiallitie or preiudice as Nichodemus to Christ to those that for knowledge are fit to teach them If of pride to submit our selues one to another and especially to those that haue more learning do rule ouer vs for he that praiseth himselfe is not alowed but he whom the Lord praiseth A singularitie in this kinde hath been the originall of most heresies in all ages and not the least occasion of the troubles of these times for he that walketh vprightly walketh bouldly the rest are presumptuous but he that peruerteth his waies shall be knowne If from inordinate affection making that lawfull which we haue a minde to doe we must harken to iudgement and refuse our affections in this case for iudgement turned into affection doth all perish If from faintnes then onely to be scrupulous feareful when we haue cause least we thinke it lawfull because we streane a knat for to swallow a Cammell If of perplexitie when a man is closed as it were betwixt two sinnes where he is not able though willing to auoyde both that which will not make either to be lawfull will make one of them directly a lesse sinne This is not euer to do euill that good may come of it for though the casting away of things profitable for the sustenance of mans life be an vnthankfull abuse of the fruites of Gods good prouidence towards mankinde yet this consideration did not hinder Saint Paul from throwing corne into the sea when care of sauing mens liues made it necessarie to loose that which else had been better saued For of two such euils being not both euitable the choyse of the lesse is not euill and euils as a wise man noteth must be in our construction iudged ineuitable if there be no apparant ordinarie way to auoyde them because where counsell and aduise beare rule of Gods extraordinarie power without extraordinarie warrant wee cannot presume Last of al if of humility an error surely of least daunger we wish them onely to take heede of to much feare else we say it is the propertie of good mindes there to acknowledge a fault where no fault is For whilest the conscience of man is troubled in this manner grace repaireth in man the excellent image of his first maker Thus giuing our simple direction and not daring to censure the consciences of such as thinke their refusall to be warranted with pretence of conscience we will examine a little what they haue said and done and whether the exacting or refusing of subscription was a greater sinne If the vrging of subscription which the law required was the cause of those seuerall admonitions which the Parliament had surely a worse effect could not haue proceeded from so good a cause then that which was a vertuous inuention to make peace by the vnquiet disposition of some few should become the originall fountaine of so much warre And surely that mildnes which that reuerend Archbishop Grindall vsed in those times little auailed with those men for to make them better which in wisedome euer since hath caused others in that place for to vse the lesse For experience euen in them findeth it to be most true that fauour in that kinde they esteeme but desert and the patience of others but their owne merit Yet wise men in the same place at diuers times to the same persons may vse direct contrarie courses and both well The second inforcing of subscription in the three articles of supremacie the booke of common prayer with those things annexed and the booke of articles made in the Synode 1562. the first they allowe but as for both the other they esteeme them vnlawfull and such as the statute requireth not of them where me thinkes it is strange that men which doe not so much as the lawe requires will alleadge notwithstanding the lawe for their warrant in that which they doe not For if either the vrging of law by the vertue of law or not against law could in wisedome haue serued to make peace those men had little reason to haue been against it who were not able to proue that it was vnlawfull and knew the authoritie to be lawfull that required it of them Neither was there any great reason to hope for obedience in subscribing to the articles if the lawe required it seeing they are not willing towards the communion booke to affoord that allowance which the law required And howsoeuer I take not vpon me to interpret the meaning of that statute yet surely the pretended exception of law is of little force seeing both the Archbishops and Bishops and al the clergie in the conuocatiō subscribed vnto them and that all Canons which the Church doth make haue either confirmation vnder the great seale or the parties that make them haue warrant by the statute for that they doe And if it had not been euer their practise to make a pretence of law for that for which they haue no warrant neither would they doe it if the law commaunded it were better to be excused in that they refuse with pretence of law With the same boldnes some haue affirmed that the present gouernment of the Church of England by Archbishops and Bishops vnder the Prince is to be accounted vnlawfull by the statutes of this land and that to be a Lord Bishop is directly against the statute Eliz. 13. A practise like this some of the Church of Rome haue lately vsed against vs as though our oppositiō against them were beyond law and the instruments made for our defence and to cut them off were intruth the safest protection their actions had But haue these men that thus earnestly pretend law either neuer subscribed to any thing of their owne without law or euer been obedient to the lawes of others surely if they had the contention in this kinde had been buried that day when it was first borne But the English when they came to Franckeford were tied to subscribe to the same confession of faith which the French had after they themselues enioyned all to subscribe to their
discipline that they might showe that they were readie and willing to be subiect to it Nay D. Cox a man at that time farre better I thinke then any that refuse subscription and his companie were not admitted to haue voices in the Church of Frankeford vntill they had subscribed to the discipline as others had done before them These holy conscionable refusers to assent to the ordinations that others make are violent exactors of subscription and obedience in a strange countrie at their betters hands to those pettie orders which are of their owne making When Maister Horne was made pastor of the Church at Frankeford he receiued all such persons as members of that Church which were contented to subscribe and to submit themselues to the orders of it A wise course not vnfit for a greater gouernment wherein all men ought to binde themselues some way or other vnto the obedience of those vnder whom they liue Nay if any minister appeale to the magistrate and be found to doe it without iust cause a fault surely lesse then their refusing to subscribe yet then he shall be directly deposed from his ministerie by them Neither was this the practise of those times and in that place but euen at home those men who had neither authoritie to make lawes nor to exact of others allowance of them haue required and had a generall subscription to that discipline which neither scripture wisedome law or themselues could approue vnto vs. So that all those inconsiderate and vnreuerend termes which most of them haue intemperately vttered against subscription are but the violent courses of men that desire to punish and not the charitie of such as should if they had authoritie correct Let them show their affection that they loue our Church and then we will allow them to vtter and aduise what they thinke good In the meane time those false coniecturall effects for which subscription was required as they thinke are but vncharitable deuises of their owne onely to make those in authoritie to be more odious that contempt of their persons breeding disobedience to their gouernment either a generall dissolution may bring a palsey into the Church or else we must onely be ruled by orders of their making Which because neither reason nor experience hath taught vs to be so safe we hold the exacting of subscription to be lawfull and necessarie in those that doe it and the refusall to be daungerous vnholy and vnwarranted in those that are disobedient They which haue labored in their zealous defences to make the world for to thinke otherwise they haue taken vpon them to iustifie themselues with to much loue and to censure our Church with to much rigor But it is like a better consideration will possesse them now when they shall haue small reason to feare either partiallitie or want of vnderstanding to make the chiefe in authoritie either not willing or not able to perceiue their weightie reasons alleaged against those things which they doe mislike But wise men surely haue cause to feare that nothing wil either much or long please them which is not some transformed monster of their owne making So that if any defect be in that statute as they vrge made by our late soueraigne of blessed memorie whereby the refusers may pretend a warrantable excuse for not yeelding by subscription an absolute obedience both to the doctrine gouernment and ceremonies of the Church we hope that now hauing tasted of the sower frutes of their disobedience and seeing without preuention that more daungerous inconueniences are like to follow it will not be thought vnfit either in his maiesties singular wisedome and great iudgement or in the honorable consideration of the whole Parliament is stricter lawes be now made to take securitie by subscribing of the tongues and the hands of these men which so often with so much libertie and boldnes they haue wilfully imployed to the hinderance of the Churches peace we demaund but in this what they thinke reasonable in their owne discipline not onely for men but for women to the auoyding of heresies and sects in the Church And if he that hath most learning and hath been most earnest for the alteration of our Church gouernment be able to make demonstration that their hands are required to giue consent to any one syllable either in our ceremonies our liturgy or our discipline which truth will not warrant and obedient humilitie exact from them I doubt not but the Bishops of our land are and will be readie either to giue them satisfaction why they ought to doe it or yeelde vnto their earnest demaunds that it may not be done But if any man thinke that the vrging of this wherein doubtlesse a remisnes in some hath done more hurt then rigor is either to confirme those things which without the allowance of these great refusers to subscribe might peraduenture be thought to want authoritie or that it is meerely a politike inuention besides law whereby the practises of the Bishops and others may be free from reproofe he doth vncharitably misconster a religious ordination for great vse and to the wrong of himselfe sinisterly suspect in both So that we thinke we may notwithstanding their great complaints of cruelâ—ie persecution and tyranny wherewith diuers of their books haue slaundered the most pure peaceable and reformed gouernment that euer this nation had since it was christian giuing occasion to the common aduersarie to write as they haue done of the English iustice safelie conclude that the exacting of subscription vsed by the Bishops in the Church of England is lawfull and neâ—essarie and the refusers are immodest disturbers of the vnitie and peace both of the Church and the Common-Wealth CHAP. VIII Of Discipline SEeing that no societie vpon earth can long without authoritie to correct retaine all her parts in due obedience and that the disorders of none are of more daunger then of that societie which we cal the Church it is of all ciuill considerations the greatest to thinke of that discipline which is best warranted most agreeable to the state of that kingdome where the Church is and in all reason likelyest to obtaine that end for which discipline is allowed vnto Gods house So that herein if either their skill had been so great or their moderation in that busines so much as peraduenture their desire was to doe good doubtles the Church ought in all reason to haue giuen great attention to these careful aduisers and to haue showed her selfe readie with thankfulnes to make vse of those vertuous indeuours religiously imployed for her good But now that they haue obtruded a discipline with that violence and such a one as must quiet ouerthrow both the practise of other Churches and of this in al other ages that haue been before vs nor this as the inuention of wise men not against the word but the expresse commaundemeÌ„t in euery particular of God himself accounting those to
haue no Church this being as essentiall as either the word or the sacraments where this is wanting wee haue great cause both to examine the practises of these men and to consider that discipline which they tender vnto vs for that which we now haue and what benefit by this exchange is likely to redownd vnto Gods Church And surely if both our Disciplines had the like warrant that they were the lawfull â—rdinations of men for the well gouerning of the Church not repugnant to the word of God yet it is like the aduantage would be far greater on our side being auncient not the inuention of our selues found to be safe by experience and duly proportioned with the greatnes riches freedoms glory and gouernment of this kingdome whereas theirs in their owne opinions if they were not ouer partially addicted to it is new the inuention of late time dangerous by experience in a kingdome and no way proportioned but to the limits and bounds of some priuate Citie we haue knowne the aduocates of this discipline to haue much grace for which I do honor them in exhortation and prayer but to be either inuentors or aduisors of lawes and ordinations fit for a Church discipline their manner of liuing doth not allowe them that wisdome so that wee holde it much safer to retaine our owne reforming such parts as the boldnes of sinne maketh vs to thinke now to bee too remisse rather than to aduenture an exchange euen for that which by so many titles they commend vnto vs. For surely no man is lesse fit to lend his tongue to giue praise to a worke than he or they who haue lent their heads and their hands to be authors of it both because all of vs naturally loue what we doe our selues and seldome haue wee so much vnderstanding that we doe aâ—â—isse when we had no more vnderstanding but to faile in the doing of it But where their owne weakenes or want of experience might faile as not affoording them so much wisdome to make lawes if there they will vrge vs with expresse commaundement of holy Scripture then it must not seeme strange vnto them if that for which they pretend scripture without warrant of scripture be not admitted by vs wherein if they faile the Church at their hands receiueth a double wrong first a contention to disturbe her peace and secondly the false pretence of an euerlasting truth to giue authority and warrant to the late unwise inconsiderate and vnholy inuentions of silly men Dealing in this but peraduenture with lesse malice as Satan and all heretikes haue done to couller temptations and heresies with Gods word For seeing that with man especially in the Church nothing is or ought to be of that account as the scriptuâ—es are all men are dâ—sirous for that which they are willing to maintaine to alledge that proofe which hauing gâ—eatest authoritie must with men of reason finde least resistance For in all other things let reason be neuer so apparant with some men they are as easily contemned as they are alledged this onely conteyned in the two testaments both in admonishing is vpright in promising is heauenly and in threatning is fearefull All other writings as the assurance is but weake which they can affoord so their proofes are but the opinions or iudgements of mortall men and where the hearer is of the same nature with him that perswadeth reason oftentimes doth belâ—â—ue that he hath not much reason to be perswaded But in the scriptures as Hugo saith whatsoeuer is taught is truth whatsoeuer is commaunded is goodnes and whatsoeuer is promised is happines and therefore these men haue proceeded aright if they be able to proue what they vndertake in making the plaine scripture to be the commaunder of all parts of that discipline which doubtlesse whithout scripture reason hath little warrant to thinke that lawfull we understand then by discipline in this chapter which notwithstanding few of the patrones haue defined vnto vs that eternal gouernment of the church and of euery member thereof in respect they are of the Church whereby manners are reformed the peace of the Church maintained God glorified and order and decency procured this whether in substance it be such that nothing is to be added altered or diminished is the principall contention betwixt them and vs our Church holding that it hath this libertie to prescribe orders for the whole assemblie to giue direction for the goods of the Church and the maintenance of the clergie for the proceeding in matters of Church gouernment making lawes and ordâ—rs iudiciall notice censures election of offices and such like and this not without the authoritie of him who hath the supremacie in all causes all these we hold changeablâ— according to times and places whereas those who will needes be our aduersaries in this cause will haue all such as concerne the substance of discipline to be appointed by God and to be alwaies firme and immutable and the Eldership to haue the execution of them and to this end in euery parish or precinct there must be a presbyterie of doctors pastors elders and deacons and of diuers presbiteries conferences and synodes all which say they are precisely required in Gods word But seeing remonstrance hath been made both of the errors of them all and the infinit dissentions amongst themselues we can be content to let that discipline fall which stronger then they if they were willing could hardly haue strength for to hold vp This discipline of the Church ought to see the execution of those lawes and ordinances which God by his Apostles in their time and daily since by the Church maketh neither doe we thinke that any in the bosome of the Church after so long a time of knowledge can now doubt but that God hath left vnto his Church an authoritie to make lawes the execution whereof in reason is committed to those who succeed in place and authoritie the Apostles of Christ that did plant the Church whose dominion notwithstanding we make not so absolute that like tyrants at their pleasure they may rule ouer Christs flocke yet the power that the rulers of the Church haue in matters of a lower nature are lesse limited by farre hauing warrant to ordaine and appoint things indifferent which serue for order comlines and the edification of Christs Church By this authoritie the Apostles ordained many things in the Church whereof from Christ they had no expresse mention by this power S. Paul ordained that gatherings should be made at Corinth vpon the Lords day that the man should pray bare headed and the woman couered Such authoâ—itie at this day a particular Church hath as of England France end Scotland or any other that the clergie with the allowance of the prince and the rest whom it may concerne for to make lawes may ordaine and appoint â—uch ordinances as seruing for edification order and comlines in the Church are so long in force vntill they
Euangelist Saint Marke sixe yeeres before Peter and Paul were martyred sixe and thirtie before the death of Saint Iohn in the which there is nothing that can or ought to be misliked This as it is true so it is warranted with much reason for vnlesse we suppose a thing surely not likely if possible all in a presbytery to be men without fault a power to doe harme vnto Christs Church must by this curcular reuolution fall into their hands whom wisedome of election would hardly haue called to that place Besides what men shall worthily suffer whilest they are inferiors there is some likelyhoode they will offer the like when they doe commaund Neither is this to quench ambition as they thinke but to kindle a farre greater in the whole clergie For what we giue vnto one experienced of yeeres tried in gouernment freed for the most part from the passions of young men these without difference propound to all And thus they cure this feuer of ambition by infecting many as if diseases were therefore lesse because moe were sicke For what cannot be inioyed without pride is not easily expected without sinne fruition and expectation of one and the same thing are so neere that neither can be vertuâ—â—s where both are not Neither doe we giue vnto Archbisâ—ops or bishops power or honor by Gods law but what their people must needes yeeld vnto their pastors and presbyters if they will haue any We are not to limit Princes whom they shall vse in councell or to whom they shall commit the execution of their lawes especially such as are made for the Churches good seeing we finde that God hath blest those Princes and kingdomes most where vertuous Bishops haue been admitted to the Princes Councell wherein surely they haue brought a farre greater benefit to the peace and prosperitie of the Church then in reason they could by any other imployment besides Neither was it a meanes for to be idle either in Caluin or Beza both of them fit men for that place that they were both admitted as councellors of that state It cannot chuse but bee great intemperancie in them who haue so dishonorably laboured to deface that dignitie so auncient and of such vse in the Church of God as also to wound euen the best and the worthyest in that place with tearmes farre vnbeseeming as if their vngouerned humors had fully resolued to belch out poyson against all that were thought excellent It pleaseth one of them to censure them all thus Archbishops and Bishops are vnlawfull vnnaturall false and basterdly gouernors of the Church and the ordinances of the diuell Another saith they are in respect of their places enemies to God Much hath the vnwise and immodest dealings of sundrie in our Church labored to dishonor so honorable and so great an office experience hath taught vs the good of them and to these we onely make this answere that wee are sorrie to see them so skilfull and so willing to speake euill But doubtles it is loue to our present state which hath made them so zealous in this cause for saith one If we be sworne to her maiesties most lawfull supremacie ouer all persons and espie in our Church a lordly prelacie a thing brought into the Church by humane inuention by meanes weereof it is apparant that the Pope of Rome hath climed about all states both Ecclesiasticall and ciuill if now our desire extend it selfe that our lordly dignities and power of our Bishops might be examined by holy scripture and brought backe a degree or twaine neerer to the apostolike practise and Christs institution that so all occasions might be cut off hereafter that this climing vsurpation might neuer take holde vpon England any more are we troublers of the state Doubtles we are If it were not a thing possible to make a difference betwixt the clyming vsurpation of the Church of Rome and the lawfull prelacie how lordly so euer established in our Church I doubt not but all our Bishops would cast themselues at his Maiesties feete and intreate his highnes to vnburthen them of all that honour which hetherto they haue held iniurious to his supremacie and contrarie to the scriptures and the Apostles practise To men of vnderstanding things could not bee thus odiously compared that are moste vnlike The Pope challengeth authoritie ouer all christendome so doe not our Archbishops the Pope exalteth himselfe aboue Kings and Princes but our Archbishops with reuerence and humilitie acknowledg their subiection and more dutifully I doubt not then those who thus carefully are fearefull of their clyming The Pope saith that to bee subiect vnto him is of necessitie to saluation our Archbishops acknowledge no such thing and as their limits of gouernment are farre vnlike so the manner of their gonernment is farre more lawfull the one being an vsurpation which ambition sought out superstition and pollicie haue holden vp the other a necessarie authoritie which schismes and dissentions in the Church inuented the Apostles vsed all antiquitie followed and the peace of the Church did impose vpon them So that one of the most modest and most learned that seemeth to fauour the cause of discipline maketh it a principall point of the Ecclesiasticall gouernment that the inferior clergie in things honest bee obedient to the Bishop and the Bishop to the Metropolitan expressing the vse of that which others vehemently mislike and acknowledging the names and subordination of both But as it is an imputation in their opinion to the Archbishops that their place and authoritie is like the Popes so it is a blemish to our Bishops in the iudgement of these men that for learning and vertue they are not like vnto those holy fathers of the Church that haue gone before them We dare not take vpon vs to thinke that our times are better and more fruitefull in vertue then other were or that the Bishops of our land a thing to be wished are all of them without fault but seeing it pleaseth some to compare them thus I hope it shall neither be dishonour to the vertuous memories of those that are dead nor bee thought a flattery towards those that doe liue if we say considering we may say it with much truth that for soundnesse of doctrine honestie of life and the moderate vse of externall things they are not inferiour to the most reuerend of those Bishops that haue been before them For doctrine wee are loth to rippe vp the errors that the anncient Bishops were infected with Papias Bishop of Ierusalem who liued in Ignatius and Policarpus time held the error of a thousand yeere after the resurection wherein the kingdome of Christ should here remaine vpon earth Most of the auncient fathers were infected with this opinion Saint Cyprian that same clere fountaine as Saint Hierom calles him failed in the opinion of rebaptisation diuers both of the Greeke and Latin Church were spotted with the errors about freewill merits inuocation of
so that from hence was vnderstoode by the name of a Benefice A pastorall cure of soules ouer the people of some parish whereas formerly it signified some standing Ecclesiasticall reuenue taken out of the treasure of God and alotted to a spirituall person to the end hee may vse the same and inioy it as his owne for tearme of life vnlesse his default cause depriuation And wee know that the Clergie for manie yeeres after Christ had no other Benefices but onely their Canonicall portions or monethlie Diuidends allowed vnto them according to their seuerall degrees and qualities out of the common stock of such guifts oblations and Tythes as the feruor of christian pietie did then yeeld In the Apostles time Churches were onelie in the cities in regard whereof those that liued in villages beeing without instruction were called Pagans which after by the example of others both intertaining and giuing allowance for the maintenance of the same truth those to whom principall care was committed in this kind appointed meaner men of lesse learning and lower qualitie to vndertake the instruction of those places who were desirous and willing to yeelde after the example of others oblations and tithes for maintenance of those that were placed ouer them Now to say that either seuerall parishes thus distinguished might by no permission bee allotted to the care and instruction of one man or that it were not lawfull for any reason how beneficiall soeuer to Gods Church to bee absent from that particuler care committed to him were in the former to denie all better trust and reward to men of more worth and greater abilities and desert and in the latter to bee ouer Tirannous in considering and allowing the cause of absence and peraduenture in a true construction ouer rigorouslie seuere in both But seing all men know which wee doubt but our aduersaries in this cause will conffesse that this limitation of particuler parishes was meerlie positiue and the inuentions of men thought and found better for the better performance of the Clergies dutie it cannot bee the absolute transgression of a deuine ordination in that sence as if either to haue moe parishes then one or from one to be absent at somtime were a direct vnexcusable breach of the morall law For the duties commanded not to bee done in them are by no meanes not for a moment euer allowed to be done at all which thraldome if in seueritie they bring vpon Gods church let them take heede what dangers they fall into themselues that by this meanes the church receiue not a greater harme whilst peraduenture in this case their remedie is worse then the disease is Now to allow absence vpon reason without appointing those causes and such as must iudge which are reasonable were to make all men to think that they had reason that were willing neither is there any great force from the nature of Relatiues if that were all why one may not as well haue diuers parishes as one parish haue diuers Pastors And howsoeuer wee hold not the reason good that beecause Tymothie Titus had manie congregations committed to their charge therefore others may yet the reason in their opinion from this example ought not to want strength who think a Bishop and a Minister is all one In this first distribution for the best discharge of their calling and the greatest benefit to the church of Christ if some vnder the Bishops aboue their bretheren which had moe and more distant parishes then any in our church all termed by one name though some were Suffraganes to Bishops it ought not to seeme a matter of vnreasonable fauour and vnlawfull to commit seuerall churches to the instruction and gouernment of some men whose learning discretion care is more eminent and that these may whilst their labours are vsed for the benefit of Christs flock lawfully bee absent and haue inferiour men of the Clergie for a tyme to supply and to execute their roomes so that doubtlesse a zeale in these reprouers did carrie them to far when alledging those extrauagant reasons against Pluralities they yeeld them to tend to couetousnesse that one man had the stipend of many that they make non Residents that it maintaines Ambition that it is the occasion of a gadding and roaguing ministerie no small cause why others want and lastly a taking away of that recompence which belongs to others these reasons in their opinion of some force howsoeuer they haue alreadie bene profoundly answered with much iudgement yet beecause they still please themselues in the rehearsall of them we can bee content both with patience to giue them hearing and withall to hope for this fauour at their hands that they will yeeld thus much to vs that many things may occasionally bee the accidentall procurers of much euill which are originally no causes nor iustly can suffer a reproofe as vnlawfull things Neither are these onely the occasions of the euills which they lay vpon them seeing either all or most are commonly to bee found amongst thē who notwithstāding would seeme to be furthest from this sin But seeing whatsoeuer in our Church is practised in either of these two Pluralities or non Residencie is not the corruption of some priuate man but the approbation and allowance of the Court of Parliament wherein what soeuer is established all men in the eie and construction of the law are thought and deemed to haue consented we cannot but thinke it vnreasonable and vnreuerend for these men to disanull or make question of an Act of their owne making and withall wee hope it both hath and shall appeare to the world that as it is not lawfull without dispensation to haue or to doe either so that authoritie to dispence in both is most agreeable to reason and Gods truth For seeing the disposition and limitation of priuate parishes extendeth no further but to be the wise Positiue inuention and ordination of those who formerlie haue gouerned in Gods Church and that all humane lawes are dispensable by supreame authoritie a dispensation being but the relaxation of a common right made vpon knowledge of the cause by him that hath right to dispence wee hope that likewise these may and that the lawes forbidding non Residencie Pluralities are in force still notwithstanding by Priuiledge some particulers are and are fit to bee exempted from the common right Doubtlesse neuer meere human law was either made with that wisedome or was in execution of so necessarie vse but that sometimes it was fitter to receiue Dispensation then to stand in force for seeing the best lawes of men are but the euidences of Humane reason which wee finde by experience groweth from a weakenesse to bee more strong and from imperfection to bee more absolute wee cannot in reason without inthralling our selues in too great a bondage deny Abrogation and Dispensation to humane lawes which are not to bee like those of the