superstition and not be accounted therefore a prevaricator if he doe or though he doe not let him consider vvhere the presumption lyeth But vvhy irreligious because it is persisting in an errour for the preservation of their own credit But 1 vvho taught the Def. to make that vvhich is in question the ground of an accusation in dispute First let him proue that it is an errour before he take it so for granted that upon that ground he vvill challenge mens reasons as irreligious 2 It is not their credit but the credit of their Ministery vvhich they speake of 3 Is it such an irreligious thing to desire that certaine ceremonies may not bee imposed upon them lest their Ministery be by that meanes prejudiced Why partiall because men should rather yeeld to Conformitie for the credit of the Church i. e. for the credit of the Convocation house Alas the credit which a great part of that generation doth seek for is that they may rejoyce in our flesh But suppose they meant sincerely vvould the Def. haue men discredit and prejudice their Ministery to bring some credit unto other mens decrees Or doth the forbearing of some ceremonies bring such discredit to the Authorizers of them surely then they are more for the honor of mortall men then for the honour of God For Gods honour and worship is no vvaies prejudiced by their absence The last charge is pernitious And heere many words are used to giue countenance unto that one The maine ground is Woe to me if I preach not the Gospell and Simon lovest thou mee then feed my sheep Wherupon he gathereth that it is a pernicious thing for a Minister to put himselfe unto silence But 1 vvhat is this to the question of discrediting ones Ministrie 2 Although we were most vvorthy to haue these remembrances out of Scripture rubbed upon us yet the Prelates are altogether unworthy and unfit to doe it Let any man conceiue vvith himselfe B. Bâ—ncroft or any other in the end of the Convocation after all the Canons were concluded comming forth as Prolocutor and speaking thus to the Ministers assembled together before him Men and brethren the reverend fathers of this Convocation as they alwayes meditate on the law of God and every part of it both day and night so especially doe they lay to heart those passages of holy Writ which properly concerne their office as woe unto me if I preach not the Gospell and Simon lovest thou mee feed my sheep Out of these considerations being carryed with a fervent zeale both of preaching themselues in their severall plâ—ces and also of procuring more faithfull Preachers and more fruitfull preaching throughout the land they haue over and aboue the institutions of Christ appointed certaine ceremonies strictly to be observed of every Minister so that whosoever shall heereafter upon any pretense refuse to obserue the same they shall be esteemed factious schismaticall disarderly exorbitant men and for that cause by their Ordinary suspended and deprived oNw for the preventing of such a mischiefe your tender mother would haue you to understand by my mouth that if any man bee thrust out of the Ministery for not yeelding to these constitutions howsoever they may seeme unto him such as the Church cannot lawfully appoint nor hee obserue yet he is author of his own silencing and therefore you must all be exhorted to consider well of those parcels of Scripture which haue so much prevailed with your carefull mother Woe is me if I preach not the Gospell Simon lovest thou mee feed my sheepe Would not he that heard such a speech as this from a Prelate bâ— forced to call for for a bason and after he had recovered himselfe he might well giue answer in these words I heare the words of a deceitfull tongue Behold thou art called a Bishop and gloriest in that title thou perswadest thy selfe thou art a chiefe guide and father of the Church thou therefore that teachest another teachest thou not thy selfe Thou that sayest it is a woefull thing not to preach the Gospell doest thou neither preach Christ faithfully nor suffer those that would Darest thou by thine owne authoritie and for thine owne pleasure hinder so many able men from preaching thou that professest the flocke must bee fed doest thou thrust out feeders and keep in starvers Therefore thou art inexcusable ô Prelat whosoever thou art that condemnest another for that whereof thou art both beginning and ending Thirdly the Apostles woe 1. Cor. 9. belongeth to negligent slothfull and carelesse ministers properly such as our Prelats know where to find enough vvho yet neither feele nor feare that vvoe from the Bishops vvhich many faithfull preachers are wrapped in from time to time Fourthly the Apostle doth not pronounce any vvoe for not preaching vvhere imprisonment doth hinder Now hee vvhose conscience is against the ceremonies or doubteth of them is spiritually imprisoned so that he cannot by vsing of them make his vvay to the pulpit Fiftly it is a meere jest though a bitter one to say that we leaue our ministeries when we doe all that our consciences vvill suffer us to doe for the holding of our places and vvhen we haue done all that depart against our wills with sorrow Non discedit a statiâ—ne qui cedit invitus See Mr. Parker p. 1. c. 4. s. 14. But the Defendant undertaketh to proue that the cause of silencing â—is not in the Bishops that suspend and deprive us but in our selves He is as it seemeth a great adventurer For hee commeth forth upon this peece of service vvith flying colours Know you well what you say sayth hee when you lay the cause of your silencing upon the Bishops Yes surely very well For a cause is that which bringeth force or vertue to the being of another thing Now the first vertue or rather vice which tendeth to silencing of Ministers in this case is in the Bishops canons they therefore are the first cause The second vertue is in the Bishops and their officers which are executioners of those unconscionable canons they therefore are the secondarie cause Non-conformitie hath no vertue in it of it own nature nor by Gods ordinance to bring forth such an effect as the silencing of Gods Ministers isâ— though it bemade an occasion by the perversnesse of our Prelats I know well what I say and will make it good against the Defendants vain pretences The case standeth thus sayth he Titus It had been more proper to say Diotrephes the Bishop doth depriue Titius a factious schismatical minister that he may place Sempronius a peaceable and discreet man in his stead In this proceeding the intendment of Titus is not absolutely to deprive Titius as he is a Minister but as he was factious yet so onely respectiuely that Titius being deprived he may constitute Sempronius for the charge of a Bishop is not determinate to appoynt precisely this minister but indefinite to ordaine a minister so that the course of Gods
make humane significant ceremonies in Gods worship agree with Christian liberty As for superstition vvhich the Defendant doth now the second time most ridiculously object I haue answered in the beginning of this Confutation Now onely I note 1 how loosely he describeth that superstition vvhich he calleth affirmative as if no man could use any thing superstitiously except he did hold that without it the faith of Christianity or the true worship of God could not possible consist Never was there such a description given by any man that considered what he said 2 Hovv manfully he concludeth our negatiue superstition upon this ground that Christ hath left these ceremonies free which is the maine question betwixt him and us 3 How he mis-reporteth our opinion in saving absolutely that weâ— hold a Surplice to haue unholinesse and pollution in it wheras we hold that it is onely made more unfit for Gods service then it was before through idolatrous abuse but yet unto other usâ—s it may be applyed 4 That in stead of Scripture he bringeth forth the universall practise of men in the Church vvhich yet hath been formerlyly also refuted 5 That he can finde no Divine that calleth opposing of ceremonies superstition but onely M. Calvin in one place speaking rhetorically as he useth to doe and not intending any definition or distribution of that vice 6 How he corrupteth P. Martyrs words to haue some colour for a new accusation P. Martyr taking there upon him the person of an adversarie unto Hoopers opinion with whom notwithstanding afterward he consented and recalled the counsell which then he gaue as appeareth p. 1125 saith that if we should refuse all things that the Papists used vve should bring the Church into servitude which assertion is most true because the Papists abused many necessarie things even Christs own Ordinances the observing of which is liberty Now the Def. would haue that precisely uâ—derstood and that in the rigour of every word concerning the Surplice I haue here subioyned apart an Epistle of Zanchius who otherwaies was somewhat favourable to Bishops wherein the Reader may see his iudgement concerning superstitious garments To the most renowmed Queene Elizabeth Defendresse of the Christian Religion and most mighty Queen of England France and Ireland H. Zanchius sendeth greeting MOST gracious and most Christian Queene we haue not without great griefe understood that the fire of contention about certaine garments which we thought had been quenched long agone is new againe to the incredible offence of the godly as it were raised from hell and kindled a fresh in your Majesties Kingdome and that the occasion of this fire is because your most gracious maiestie being perswaded by some otherwise great men and carried with a zeal but certainly not according to knowledge to retaine unitie in religion hath now more then ever before resolved and dâ—câ—eed yea doth will and command that all Bishops and Mâ—nisters of the Churches shal in divine service put on the white and linnen garments which the Popish Priests use now in Poperie yea that it is to be feared least this fire be so kindled and cast its flame so farre and wide that all the Churches of that most large and mightie kingdome to the perpetuall disgrace of your most renowned Maiestie be set on a flaming fire seeing the most part of the Bishops men greatly renowned for all kinde of learning and godlines had rather leaue their office and place in the Church then against their owne conscience admit of such garments or at the least signes of Idolaâ—rie and Popish superstititon and so defile themselues with them and giue of fence to the weak by their example Now what other thing will this be then by retaining of these garments to destroy the whole body of the Churchâ— For without doubt that is Satans intent by casting a seed of dissentions amongst the Bishops And that hee aimed at in the infancie of the Church by stirring vp discord between the East and West Churches about the Passover and other ceremonies of that kind Therfore Ireneus Bishop of Lions had just cause in his Epistle sent out of France to Rome sharply to reproue Victor the Pope of Rome because he out of a kind of zeale but not according to knowledge was minded to excommunicate all the churches of Asia because they celebrated not the Passover just at the same time as they at Rome did For this was nothing but by an unseasonable desire to retaine the same ceremonies in all churches to rent and teare a peeces the vnitie of the Churches I therefore so soone as I heard that so great a ruine hanged over the Church of Christ in that kingdome presently in respect of that dutie which I owe to the Church of Christ to your gracious Maiestie and to that whole kingdom intended to write thither and to try by my uttermost endevor whether so great a mischiefe might possibly be withstood some that fear Christ and wish wel to your Maiestie exhorting me to the performance of this dutie But when I had scarcely begun to think of this course behold our most illustrious Prince commanded 〈◊〉 to do it which command of his did not onely spurre me one who of mine owe accord was alreadie running but laid a necessitie of writing upon me Wherefore this my boldnesse will seeme the lesse strange unto your gracious Maiestie seeing my writing proceedeth not so much from mine owne will and counsell of friends as from the commandement of my most Noble Prince who is one of your gracious Maiesties speciall friends Now I thought I should doe a matter verie worth the paines taking if first I should humbly admonish your most famous Maiestie what your dutie is in this cause and secondlie if as your humble suppliant I should beseech you for our Lord Iesus Christs sake to performe the same I beseech your gracious Maiestie to take this my writing in good part for it proceedeth from a Christian loue toward the Church and from an especiall reverend respect that I beare to your most gracious Maiestie The Lord knoweth all things Now to the matter in hand Whereas the Apostle writing to Timothie commandeth that praiers be made for Kings and all other that be in authoritie and saith that the end wherefore they bee ordained is that wee may lead a peaceable and quiet life in all that is perfect godlinesse and honestie he teacheth plainlie enough what is the dutie of godlie Kings and Princes namelie that they take care and bring to passe that first and aboue all things true religion and the true worship of God where it is banished bee restored and being restored bee kept pure all things which smell of impietie being farre removed Secondlie that men may liue honestlie and holilie all kinds of vncleannesses beeing abandoned Lastlie that publicke peace and holie friendship bee maintained among the subiects all occasions of contentious being as much as possiblie may be taken out of the way As the
it is much lesse praise-worthy if godly Bishops be enioyned laying aside or at least changing the honest and ancient apparrell which the Apostles wore to wit that common and graue habit to put on the ridiculous and execrable or accursed garments of godlesse Mass-priests Now concerning the third part of the Princes duties there is nothing fitter to trouble the publicke peace of the Church then this counsell For everie noveltie especially in religion either by it selfe if it bee evill disturbs and troubles a good peace or if it bee good gives occasion of trouble by accident by causing contention betweene evill and good men But as in things which be good of themselves of which nature the reformation of the Churches according to the will of God is we are not to care for the troubling of that vngodlie peace that is of the world for Christ came not by his Gospell to keep such a peace but rather to take it away and to send a sword so assuredly by the urging of things indifferent to trouble the peace of Churches and to cause strife between good men and bad yea between godlie men themselues is so wicked that it can by no meanes bee defended so that Ireneus had just cause to reproue Victor Bishop of Rome for this cause as hath been sayd afore For it must needes bee that at such times the Churches be rent in peeces then which thing what is more hurtfull Many examples in the histories of the Church proue this which I say How many and how great troubles arose in the Primitiue Church between those who beside the Gospell urged also circumcision and the law and between those who upon good ground reiected them And how great evills would this dissention haue brought to the Church of Christ had not the Apostles betime withstood them by that councell gathered together at Ierusalem by a lawfull examination and discussing of the cause by manifest testimonis of the Scripturâ—s and by sound reasons If your gracious Maiestie as you ought desire both to be and to seeme Apostolicke then imitate the Apostles in this matter Neither lay and impose this yoke upon the neckes of Christs Disciples your selfe nor suffer it to be imposed by others But if you see that the Bishops disagree about this matter among themselves assemble a Synod and cause this controversie to be examined by the Scriptures And then looke what shall be proved by plaine testimonies and strong reasons propound that to be observed by all and command by your decreeâ— that that be observed and so take disagreement out of the Church For your gracious Maiestie ought to be verie carefull that there be no innovation in religion but according to the word of God By this means shall a true peace concord and unitie of the Churches bee preserved But if the proceeding be otherwise what other thing will it be then to take away vnitie and to trouble the Christian peace And this I may not passe over with silence that by this noveltie of the busines not onely the publick peace shall be troubled in that kingdome but also manie else-where out of that kingdome will haue occasion given them to raise new contentions in Churches and that to the great hinderance of godlines and the more slow proceeding of the Gospell For all men know that the most part of all the Churches who haue fallen from the Bishop of Rome for the Gospels sake doe not onely want but also abhorre those garments and that there be some Churches though few in comparison of the former which doe as yet retaine those garments invented in Poperie as they verie stifly retaine some other things also because the reformers of those Churches otherwise worthy men and verie faithfull servants of Christ durst not at the first neither iudged they it expedient vtterly abolish all Popish things But as the common manner is every man likes his owne best Now I call those things a mans owne not so much which everie man hath invented as those beside which every man chooseth to himselfe receiveth retaineth and pursueth though they be invented to his hand by others But if there be also annexed the examples of other men they bee more and more hardened in them and are not onely hardened but also doe their uttermost endevour by word and writing to draw all the rest to be of their minde Therfore wee easilie see what the issue wil bee if your gracious Maiestie admit of that counsell which some doe giue you to take on apparrell and other more Popish things besides For some men who be not well occupied being stirred up by the example of your Maiestie will write bookes and disperse them throughout all Germanie of these things which they call indifferent to wit that it is lawfull to admit of them nay that they be altogether to be retained that Papists may bee the lesse estranged and alienated from us and so we may come the neerer to concord and agreement As if forsooth the Papists though we for peace sake admitted of all those things would ever amend their Doctrine and banish out of their Churches or at any hand lay downe their false and godless decrees manifest and abhominable superstitions and idolatries and there will bee some who will answer such bookes once dispersed So of this English fire there will rise a new burning flame in Germanie and France on which hot coles the Papists as so many Smiths a forging will sprinkle cold water to make the flame the more vehement And is not this a goodly benefite Who therefore doth not see that this counsell tends to the troubling of all Churches To conclude that golden saying of a certaine learned man is verie true and certaine and approved by long experience that indifferent things that is the question about indifferent things is that golden apple of contention So much shall suffice to haue spoken of the troubling of publick peace what should I say of the consciences of privat belevers It is manifest that they are greatly troubled with this commandement to put on these linnen garments For they do so greatly complain that their lamenting voyces grones doe reach vnto and are heard in Germany Now how grievous and distastfull an offence it is to trouble the consciences of the godly the holy Scripture sheweth partly when it commandeth that we make not the holy Spirit sad neither offend the weak ones partly when it threatneth grivous punishments against those who feare not to doe these things partly also when it propoundeth the examples of the Saints and specially of Paul who speakes thus If meat offend my brother I le eat no flesh while the world standeth that I may not offend my brother For in those words hee giveth a generall rule by his example taken out of the doctrine of Christ to wit that no indifferent thing is to be admitted and yeelded unto much less to bee urged upon others and least of all to be commended by decree if
of his treatise concerning indifferent things But an answer to that treatise or to this argument was never yet seene in print though that begging of the question be the chiefe ground of those invectiues vvhich are ordinarily used in Sermons and vvritings about these questions viz. that they are things indifferent This argument is also found in a treatise of the same authors concerning Divine worship printed 1604. 2. Though it had never seen the print before now yet that doth not hinder but it may be sound For all sound reasons are not found in print 3. There is none of our Divines that treateth of vvorship in generall and particular but hath for substance this learning viz. that religious worship is that which is done to the honour of God and if it bee according to Gods commandement then it is true if not then it is false The Def. cannot name one of all that ever handled the common place of worship that hath â—ot so taught which if it be true then the institution of God doth not alter the common nature of vvorship 1. it doth not make that vvorship which otherwise being used to some end and in the same manner without Gods institution vvere no worship at all But Gods institution sayth the Def. doth distinguish necessary worship from indifferent and essentiall from accidentall Grant all this what can be made of it Doth it therefore alter the common nature of worship making that worship vvhich without it being used in the same manner and to the same end is no worship here is no consequence at all Beside neither scripture nor interpreters of Scripture nor any good reason will allow that there is any indifferent worship of God Neither is it the institution of God common to all worship which maketh one more and another lesse principall but the nature of the thing instituted by him But the offering of any coloured sheep was indifferent before the Leviticall law afterward the offering of an unspotted lamb was necessarie and essentiall in the worship of God To which objection I answer 1. This his opposition of offering any coloured sheep before the Leviticall law to the offering of an unspotted lamb afterward is vain and without ground from the law of God seeing it doth no where appeare in the Scriptures but that it was as lawfull to offer any coloured sheep after the law given as well as before God requires by Moses that the offerings of his people should be perfect Levit. 1. 3. 10 c. And this might well be notwithstanding diversitie of colour The party-coloured sheepe of Iaakob were not imperfect but of the perfectest sort and that by the speciall direction and blessing of God Gen. 30. 41. 42. with 31. 11. 12. God complaineth of those that offered corrupt sacrifices torne lame and sicke Mal. 1. 13. 14. But for difference of colour there is little colour or shew of reason that God gaue any such charge in his law And it is the Doctors ignorance of the story or want of due consideration that moved him thus to write Secondly suppose a lambe without spot to be forbidden then I answer That if any man before the commandement had offered an unspotted Lamb with the same mind that after it was to be offered with as thinking that his sacrifice should in that respect haue been the more acceptable unto God because it was of a lamb unspotted then the offering of such a lambe had been as essential worship before as it was after though it could not be so true and lawfull Did the Def. never read nor heare that matter and forme doe usually make up the essence of things and that in institutions which are means to an end the respect of that end is also required to the being but a right efficient not so let him consider a litle of the grounds of logick or read our most logicall Divines such as Sadeel is and he shall soone perceive the truth or else without that labour let him or any other of common sence tell me if the Temple of Ierusalem should haue been built with all the appurtenances and sacrifices with other observances there used without any commandement of God according as they vvere by his appoyntment had there not been essentiall false worship erected unto God haue the Papists and Heathens no essential false worship but onely accidental It is a shame to confute such unlearned conceits SECT X. HEre are many proofes conjoyned under the name of M. Hy. and others the answers to which are just such as the ceremonies be meerly formall without essence or substance of truth The first is ceremonies are imposed to breed an opinion of holinesse as M. Hooker affirmeth p. 61. and therefore are parts of Gods worship The consequence is not denied by the Def. not yet the antecedent directly so that the vvhole argument seemeth to be granted onely the Def. sayth that Mr. Hooker did not asscribe operative holinesse either by infusion or inhesion which two tearms are vnreasonably by him dis-ioyned but onely significatiue as his words import To which I answer 1. that as the nice distinctions vvhich are now used in the schooles of Iesuits do not help but that Popish superstition is as grosse as ever it was in practise so this distinction of operatiue infusion inhaesion significatiue doth nothing helpe but the common people in many places inclined to superstition doe attribute as much holinesse to some of these ceremonies as they doe to some holy ordinances of God 2. The Patrones of our ceremonies such as Mr. Hooker vvas doe attribute that holinesse to the ceremonies vvhich the Fathers did Now that they asscribed operatiue holinesse unto some of them Mr. Parker hath made plaine in his booke of the Crosse Part. 1. p. 77. 90 92. c. 3. Mr. Hooker doth not here speake of reverence signified by the ceremonies but of reverence to be signified towards them as being things holy and vvorthy reverence 4 What Mr. Hooker asscribed unto the crosse is to be seen in M. Parker p. 91. The second reason is because the ceremonies are the constitutions of a sacred Synod The force of vvhich argument lyeth in this that a holy Assembly of spirituall Lords and their assistants if they bee truely holy and spirituall in their authoritie and in the exercise of it will appoynt no ceremonies but holy and by the the observance of the said ceremonies haue some spirituall honour redounding unto themselues because the vertue vvhich is found in any effect doth redound alwayes unto the praise of the cause To this the Defendant giveth no reall answer onely he doth affirme contrary to the truth that our Convocations may bee called sacred as well as the Churches of Christ Saints by calling Whereas beside other differences Churches are of God our convocations are of man Churches are gathered for the holy Worship of God convocations as experience sheweth for nothing lesse The third reason is because the ceremonies are appropriated to
observing doth not proue the judgement of governours in imposing 3 that it is most likely that those people which thinke so are brought into that conceite by the opposition which it made against the ceremonies But first I would faine know of the Defendant vvhy he passeth by in silence not onely the testimony of Chemnitius cited by the Abridgement for confirmation of this part of the assumption but also the passages of Gods vvord and many of the best Divines vvhich are also alledged there in the proposition and applyed unto this part of the assumption by the Authors of the Abridgement surely this is not plaine dealing Secondly I answer that the opinion of a few may make that an action unlawfull vvhich the opinion of many other cannot make lawfull as is to be seen 1 Cor. 10 28 if any man say unto thee Thirdly it doth not appeare the most are otherwise minded For the most being used unto the ceremonies and not unto good teaching may well be thought to haue the same opinion of humane ceremonies vvhich they haue of divine Fourthly the Def. forgetteth vvhat vvas to be proved in this place for the question is not onely vvhether ouâ— ceremonies be so imposed but also vvhether they be so esteemed and observed as appeareth in the Abridgement Novv the opinion of the people proveth I hope in vvhat manner they are esteemed and observed And vvhile they are so observed they that still impose them in those places vvhere they are so observed may truely be interpreted so to impose them In actions of this kinde saith Hooker l. 5 p. 165 wee are more to respect what the greatest part of men is commonly prone to conceiue then what some few mens wits may devize in construction of their particular meaning Fiftly the last conceit is ridiculous that the opposing and condemning of ceremonies should make men thinke that the Sacraments are not sufficiently administred without them The popish people saith he haue no great conceit of our ceremonies Why is it then that Gretser and some other Iesuits call our Prelats Calvino-papistae Popish Calvinists How is it that by these ceremonies vve are borne in hand that the Papists are likely to be drawn unto coÌ„munion vvith our Church Whence is it that all our Church-papists are great maintainers of the ceremonies The rest saith he which are not of your disciplining are not so many O miserable out-facing of God and manâ— Who hath disciplined for this threescore yeares almost all the people of Wales Who but the Prelates and their creatures haue had the disciplining of all the Cathedrall Churches in England and all the poore Parishes that depend upon them Who are the Discipliners of all the Non-residents and Pluralists forlorne charges and who of the many ten pound cures Doe these seem a few in the Def. eyes SECT XIII THe omission of ceremonies is here alledged to be more sharply punished then many great sinnes against the law of God though it be vvithout so and all and contempt To this the Def. answereth first by denying the consequence viz. that if this be so then these ceremonies are preferred before the precepts of God and unlawfull But 1 vvhy saith he nothing to the Churches of Germanie to Melancton Martyr Chemnitius Bezâ— Iunius Lubbertus Polanus Bucanus Pilkinton Perkins and the whole Clergie of England brought in as allowing of this consequence in the Abridgement Are not all these worth one answer of the Defendants 2 The reason that he giveth for punishing more severely the omission of a ceremony then hainous sins is frivolous For the true peace of the Church doth more depend on the keeping of Gods lawes then of observing mans inventions especially of such things vvhich never brought peace vvith them to any Church but as fire from hell haue alwaies bred a combustion Neither yet can the Defendant justifie that vvhich he saith of civill governments that they lawfully at any time more severely punish that offence which is every way lesse then another vvhich is greater Howsoever he that hath but halfe an eye may see that it is but a sophisticall evasion common to our Prelates with the Papists I will not therfore insist in this if you please you may see more of this matter in M. Parker of the Crosse part 2 c. 1 s. 16 17. He answereth in the second place That it is not omission but contempt that is punished â—s if 〈◊〉 Counsellour should refuse to weare 〈◊〉 Lâ—â—yers gowne But â— meere omission hath been often punished with suspension 2 The Convocation house by their Canons haue provided and appointed punishments for meere omissions If those canons be not in all such points rigorously executed it is either some personall good vvhich is found in some Officers or else meere shame For though canons doe not blush yet the executioners haue some forhead left 3 There may be continued omission upon other causes beside contempt as ignorance conscience c. so that vvhile the Def. so peremptorily chargeth others for slandering the Church of God he manifestly slandereth them which for any thing I know are as much the Church of God as the Prelates Concerning this contempt see more in M. Parker p. 2c 1 s. 14. As for the Lawyers gowne it is not long enough to cover the nakednesse of this answer no though it be stretched to the length of one of our great Prelates long traines vvhich are carryed up after them For except the Counsellour would swear that he refused on conscience and that he could shew the judgement of the best Lawyers for his opinion condemning such a robe as unlawfull the case is not like and if the case be so put I account that Lawyer worthy to be turned over the bar that could not defend himselfe from contempt SECT XIIII IN the next place the same thing is confirmed by the particular indignities vvhich peaceable learned godly minded men doe suffer for but declaring of their contrary judgement as that they are accounted Puritanes Schismaticks and by canon excommunicated ipso facto so as no Councell ever censured any heresie vvithout liberty of appeal vvhich is not denyed to great malefactors Conf. at Hampton p. 26 〈◊〉 6 98. In the repeating of this Argument I adde that out of the Abridgement vvhich the Def. for I know not vvhat reason omitted Now in his answer he neither denyeth antecedent nor consequence so that the judicious Reader may safely take all to be granted Yet that he might seeme to say somevvhat 1 he granteth that wee haue reason perhaps to wish that some penalties were released And haue we not reason then to think the Convocation vvhich set these penalties was nothing lesse then led by the spirit of God And if the Def. can thus shew his differing judgment from that Convocation in the penalties what disorder or exorbitancy is it for another to shevv his differing judgment from them and him in ceremonies Secondly closly sliding by the chiefest accusation of Puritanism
as before I sayd for that and other causes But altars in the same place he condemneth which yet are retained in our Cathedrall Churches and I hope the crosse being an Idoll it selfe had as immediat commuâ—ion with Idolatry as Zepper or any reasonable Iudge would require for the cashiering of it As for Peter Martyr howsoever in one epistle to Hooper he setteth as good a colour upon the reliques of Idolatry as he could because he thought by a little yeelding of Hooper and such men the superstitions themselues might quickly be removed yet in another Epistle p. 1125. he giveth this peremptorie sentence Profecto si ex animo superstitiones edissemus vel ipsa eorum vestigia omnibus modis curaremus extirpanda 1. If wee hated superstition from the heart wee would abolish all the reliques of it To the same purpose he speaketh p. 1127. vvhere he sheweth that his conscience would never suffer him to weare the Surplice when he vvas Canon of Christ church in Oxford If this vvere not his reason hee had some other very much a kin to this Neither will the Defendant say hastily I hope that either Peter Martyr or Hooper were disorderderly exorbitant men in those times fit to be displaced that more discreet conformists might come in their places as now he pronounceth of those that refuse to conforme SECT XXX WHen all faile a contradiction must be found betwixt our conclusions and our confessions and practises but I assure my selfe there is not any reader so simple but if hee look over this section will presently see that he hath not brought one example of any humane ceremonie not necessarie notoriously known to haue been abused unto Idolatry that is allowed by us Why then should I spend ink and paper in labouring to unâ—wine such ropes of sand Onely I would ask the Defendant certaine questions 1. If a Temple a Bell or a Table-cloth haue such idolatry put uppon them by the Papists as the crosse hath 2 If his own heart do not tell him that there is a civill use of such things which cannot be imagined of the crosse 3 What superstition there was in the meere significations given by Durandus unto Bells and Bell-ropes vvhich is not to be found in the Crosse and Surplice 4 Whether the Pagan use of Bay-leaues vvhich was aboue a thousand yeares past doth cast such a reflection upon our civill use of bay-leaues as the Popish superstition doth upon our ceremonies 5 What sence he had to find fault with us for not altering the situation of Churches 6 If it be all one to call a ship by the name of Castor and Pollux as Paul doth Act. 28. 11. and to use a religious ceremonie in Gods worship vvhich is taken from these Idolls 7 If it be one thing to change copes into cushions and to use a Masse vestiment in Gods worship 8 If it be not a kind of slander to say that the Church of Geneva imposeth a round wafer cake like the Papists to be used in the Lords Supper when as onely unleavened bread is used because custome in that part more prevailed then the grave advice of Calvin Farel Viret and the other excellent pastors And if it bee not a wide leap to bring in the practise of Geneva for an instance of the Non-conformists practise in England By that time these questions be truely answered the Defendant vvill haue but a small harvest out of our confessions and practises CHAP. V. SECT I. ad X. THE Authours of the Abridgement framed a strong Argument against our ceremonies from the rules of ceremonies prescribed in the Word p. 43 c. with this Argument vvhen the Defendant vvas not able to grappell as it stood in the parts combined he thought good to sever some parcels of it and try vvhat he could say to them apart Thus out of this one Argument he hath taken that which he calleth our first and out of the same he hath made up this fift and yet hee hath quite left out a great part of the sinewes wherewith that one reason is knit together in the Abridgement The argument is taken from the scandall or offence vvhich the imposing and using of these ceremonies do bring unto divers sortâ— of men The Defendant heere maketh great flourishing in nine whole Sections defining dividing and subdividing a scandall as if he would make all cleare before him but at the end of all this preparation he maketh no application of these Rules unto the matter in hand at all but onely telleth his Reader p. 154 That these divisions and subdivisions will expedite all difficulties so that out of them he may collect the true and false sense of Scriptures alledged It vvere sufficient therefore either to deny this power to be in his divisions or else to set down as many other subdivisions of scandall vvhich vvere easie to doe and then tell him that these vvill expedite the controversie and that from them hee may collect the errours of his answer But I will notwithstanding briefly shew my opinion concerning some of these dictates The definition vvhich he onely alloweth of as accurate is that a scandall is a wilfull offence against Christians in provoking of them unto any damnable errour or sinne by any sensible externall meanes Sect. 1. Wherein notwithstanding many faults may be found For 1 every scandall is not wilfull except the word be taken more largely then use of speech will allow 2 Every scandall is not against Christians 3 A scandall is not onely by provoking to sinne but also in hindring from good 4 what doth he meane to put in the word damnable the occasioning of any sin sufficeth to make up a scandall Among his subdivisions the first thing I except against is section 5 vvhere he distinguisheth so betwixt persons and causes either determined or undetermined that in matters determined by the Church as he teacheth obedience is to be given without respect of scandall and onely in matters undetermined there is a charitable consideration to be had of other mens consciences This is a new and a tickle point of Divinity touching the tenderest part of our spirits even our consciences and other mens also It ought therefore either not to haue been propounded or else to be well confirmed either with testimonies or vvith reasons drawn out of Scripture But alas the Def. thrusteth it upon us without any such vvarrant The peace of the Church saith he is to be preferred before the grievance i. e. scandall of any sort of men As if the peace of the Church did not more consist in avoyding of scandals then in observing of humane ceremonies it is not the peace of God which is broken by a charitable care of avoyding offences but by rushing into them A scandall in the nature of it is spirituall murder Now suppose a Superiour should command a thing in it selfe indifferent whereupon murder vvere like to follow as to runne a horse or a cart in a certain way at
plow is still preserved and continued But as for Titius who will rather be silenced then conforme it is evident that the cause of his silencing being his own refractarinesse which is onely personall and proper to himselfe and yet hath no facultie in himselfe to appoynt or admit of a successor he may be sayd to haue properly caused his owne suspension and deprivation This case needeth no long demurring on for there is not one sentence in all the length of it which doth not smell without any uncasing 1. are all those factious and schismaticall men that refuse to conforme vvas Hooper such a kind of man vvas Peter Martyr and Mr. Perkins such vvhen one at Oxford and the other at Cambridge refused to vveare the Surplice was Mr. Goodman Mr. Deering Mr. More Mr. Rogers and such like heavenly men the lights and glory of our Churches vvere all these factious and schismaticall In the presence of God it is well known they were were not But our prelats haue this prerogatiue they may dubbe whom they please factious aud schismaticall and after that there is no redemption they must be such be they otherwise never so full of all grace 2 Are all peaceable discreet men which are placed in the deprived ministers stead For the best of them they are still as great eyeâ— sores to our Bishops almost as the other because they reprove a great deale of Episcopall darknesse by their practises For the rest the congregations over whom they are set cannot finde it the voyce of all the countrey is otherwise for many of them yet according to the Prelats measure who meat as it seemeth the vertues and vices of a minister by certaine ceremonies of their owne imposing it cannot bee denied but the most of them are very peaceable discreet Even so as many of the Bishops themselves were known to be afore they were Bishops and shew themselves to be still for Episcopatus plures accepit quam fecit bonos 3 What sence can this haue The Bishop depriveth Titius respectiuely that he may constitute Sempronius Doth hee know before-hand vvhom he shall constitute then there is grosse legerdemaine betwixt him and that Semâ—ronius For with what conscience can one seeke and the other assigne the place of him that is in possession This is but some time in those benefices vvhich are fatter and whose patrons are more foolish Ordinarily the vilest minister that is to be found may succeed in the place of him that is deprived for ought the Bishop knoweth or for ought he can doe except he will endure a quare impedit which in case of morall unworthinesse hath scarce been ever heard of 4 The charge which he sayth our Bishops haue of appoynting Ministers I vvonder from whence they haue it or by vvhat conveyance They say that they themselues are the proper pastors of all the parishes in their Diocesse It is well if they haue an ubiquitary facultie and vvill to performe the office of pastors to so great a people but vvho made them such Christ and his Apostles never knew of ordinary pastors having charge of so many Churches But suppose they did by vvhom doth Christ call one of our Bishops by the Kings congedelier the Chapiters nominall election or by the Arch-bishops consecration There is none of these that can beare the triall of scripture nor of the Primitiue Churches example 6 Is the Bishops power of appointing a minister no wayes determinate to this or that minister then it seemeth his meere will determineth of the particular person without any iust reason For if there be certain causes or reasons which the Bishop is bound to follow in designing of this or that minister rather then another then is the Bishop determinate The Councel of Nice it selfe determined the authoritie even of Patriarches in this case viz. that the Elders should first nominate fit men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 secondly that the people should elect or choose out of that number per 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thirdly that the Bishop should confirme the elected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Socrat. l. â— p. 177. What exorbitant power is this then vvhich our Bishops doe now-a-dayes chalenge unto themselues All Classicall Divines do consent to that which Iunius setteth downe Conc. 5. l. 2. c. 6. n. 73. that no Bishop can send or appoynt a minister sine certa ac justa ecclesiae postulatione vvithout the certain fore-choyce of the Church Id enim esset obtrudere non mittere For that were to obtrude him not to send him 6 How is the course of Gods plow preserved when for the most part the succeeding minister is thrust vpon the people against their wills and so pernitious contentions arise of vvhich the Bishop is cause procreant and conservant by depriving the people of their minister and obtruding his own minister upon them and upholding him in al those courses vvherby he grieveth the poor people 7 As the Minister hath no facultie in himselfe to appoint a successor so hath not the Bishop neither of himselfe and by himselfe Thus much for the defendant his case Whereas he addeth that Beza and Mr. Cartwright determined with him in case of the Surplice I answer 1. they did not so for the crosse 2. they did not so for subscription to either 3. they did not so but by way of toleration requiring also that men did speake against the imposing of the Surplice 4. Beza was not throughly acquainted with the state of our Church Mr. Cartwright as I haue been certainly informed by his owne sonne recalled that passage of his booke and desired that his revoking of it might be made known I thought good overseeing the Presse to confirme the Authors report by a more particular relation which I haue receiued from a person of good credit set downe in writ as followeth MR. Cartwright being beyond the seas in printing the rest of his 2. Reply werein that indulgence is sent to the Ministers of England who sought reformation with him for their opinion of the use of the Surplice in case of deprivation 22 of whom met therabout of whom 19 ioyntly agreed that it was simply unlawfull in any case but the other three sayd otherwise wherefore it was agreeed by all that each part should write their opinion and their reasons to him which they did but the letter of the nineteene miscarried and that of the other three was delivered which he taking as the letter of the whole supposed their joynt consent had been that the losse of the ministerie altered the case of the unlawfulness and so that they were all against him whereupon he mistrusting his owne judgement and being much perplexed thereabout suffered himselfe to be swated unto what is there written but afterward understanding the right hee was much more perplexed yea as he sayd more then ever he was in that to the great prejudice of the truth he had suffered his conscience to be so defiled which was forbidden 1.
Cor. 8. 7. which hee hartily sorrowed to many professing that if he againe put pen to paper about that subiect he would cleare the cause and blame himselfe praying them to signify the same freely in the meane time the which they did so that it ever since hath been currant among all his friends and constantly affirmed by them to all on due occasions and particularly affirmed to M. Sprint by a Gentleman in the presence of one Nobleman two Gentlemen 27. ministers and many professors in his course in the scanning his booke then about to be printed divers yeares before it was printed sundry also of those ministers avouched the same some on their owne knowledge others vpon undoubted testimonie which yet is ready to be avouched in due case of need and should now be expressed were not the naming of the avouchers dangerous unto them and so not to be done without their knowledge which now cannot be For the poynt it selfe when a man doth but stand in doubt betwixt using the ceremonies and suffering of deprivation it must needs be more safe patiently to suffer himselfe to bee thrust from his ministerie then to reteine it and offend his conscience by using the ceremonies For to bee restrained by authoritie from his lawfull function because hee will not yeeld to the doing of that vvhich to him is sinne is no more sinne in the sufferer then to surcease his publicke preaching whilest he is held in prison where he wanteth occasion Thus the use of that is avoyded which he disalloweth and the blame of leaving his standing is theirs vvho cast him from thence and not his So no sin is committed either in the use of that hee disalloweth or in susteining deprivation But to hold his place and to practise against conscience is to commit one great sin at the least Thus having examined the Defend his adventurous charges of false presumptuous irreligious partiall and pernitious I finde them all to bee but rash vvords of distemper SECT XV. IN the last place the Defendant bringeth forth to answer the vvords of the Apostle 1. Thess. 5. 22. Abstaine from all appearance of evill But as this argument is not found at all in that page of the Abridgement vvhich he citeth so in the words or sence vvhich he setteth downe I dare say it is not used either of them or any other against the ceremonies Yet let us heare his answer The Apostle speaketh sayth he of the opinions of privat men But 1. vvhat vvarrant hath he to restraine a generall precept when the vniversalitie of it agreeth vvith the law Abstain from all appearance sayth the Apostle 1. sayth the Def. from some privat opinions 2. Why must appearance of evil be needs understood of opinions onely two or three interpreters indeed do understand it of doctrine most properly but the most otherwise the word translated appearance signifying rather an obiect of seeing then of hearing leads us rather to the eye as in actions gesturs garments then to the ear in doctrines 3. For that vvhich he addeth of privat mens opinions there is no circumstance of the text nor any reason or authoritie that doth vvarrant such a glosse SECT XVII AMong his accusations wherein he chargeth us with manifold scandalls the first is that some weak ones by occasion of these differences stand amazed and so become more remisse in profession of religion Where 1. it is to bee observed that when wee spake of weake-ones sect 12. it was put off with this pretence that they vvere such as we had catechised Now then vvho are these vveak ones I hope the Bishops provide that people of their Diocesses are well catechised whence then is this weaknesse 2. Differences in matters of circumstance are not wont to breed scandal vntill some authoritie injoyne uniformitie as vve may see in the primitiue churches 3. If differences be the occasion of this scandal surely those that differ from us may as vvell be accused therefore as we that differ from them especially vvhen we urge nothing of ours upon them but they impose their owne devices upon us and so are causes of the differences 4. the amazement vvhich some haue vvondring vvhat vvill be the event of differences is no damnable error which by the Def. is required to a scandall sect 1. And if they grow remisse in religion upon it that is their sinne I am sure zeale against superstition and for pure and undefiled worship hath no fitnesse in it to vvork remissenesse in religion but urging of humane devices in Gods vvorship tendeth directly thither SECT XVIII THe second charge of scandall is in respect of the Separatists Where 1. I aske if Gaius had made a separation from the Church wherein Diotrephes lived vvhether the Apostle Iohn had been cause of that scandal because he condemned his abuse of excommunication 3. Ioh. 9. 10. 2. If any separate from Churches where Images are retained who is the cause they that dislike of Images or they that retaine them 3. The dislike of ceremonies is not the cheife cause for vvhich separation is made but the intollerable abuses vvhich are in Ecclesiasticall Courts by which it commeth to passe that many poore men being troubled at the first for a small thing afterward are driven to flye the countrey and flying with a hatred of such courses are ready to receiue that impression which is most opposite unto them The thing it selfe is plaine enough to all indifferent men that Ecclesiasticall corruptions urged and obtruded are the proper occasion of separation SECT XIX XX. IN the next place the Papists are alledged as persons offended by Non-conformitie because they are utterly unperswadeable to enter into a Church where all ancient rites are professedly rejected But 1. the refusing of conformitie by the Ministers doe not I hope make these ancient rites much lesse all to be professedly reiected by our Church For then we may plead the profession of our mother as well as the Defendant which he I am sure will not grant 2. This assertion which is given as a reason is evidently false For in Scotland France the Low-countries and such like Churches vvhere none of these ceremonies are retained the power of Gods word vvhich doth not depend on human ceremonies is as â—ffectuall to the conversion of Papists as in England 3. How doth this agreâ— vvith that vvhich the Defendant hath so often told us that our ceremonies are not the same with the Papists ceremonies and that the Papists haue no great conceit of our ceremonies cap. 2. sect 1â— 4. If our contentions about these things bee a scandall to the Papist let them looke to it that cast these apples of contention into the Church under the pretense of peace and uniformitie 5. One minister without conformitie as old Mr. Midsly of Ratsdell vvho vvas after silenced for his labour hath converred more Papists then any I might say then all of the Bishops in England vvith all his ceremoniall observations 6. It is
the Gospell Finallie if sacraments ceremonies and rites partlie Apostolicke and partlie Popish be used and the Church bee cloathed with them as with a garment of linsey-wossey For what agreement hath light with darknesse And therfore those things which bee not of God but from them who haue defiled Gods worship are utterlie to be cast away which the Lord himselfe commanded to bee done when hee charged utterlie to destroy all things which appertained to those who should giue vs counsell to follow strange Gods and to burne their garments and all their stuffe with fire in the middest of the street to shew our detestation of such Seducers and that they might bee an execrable thing to the Lord. And who knoweth not that these garments are a part of the houshould stuffe of that Romish Seducer There shall cleave nothing of the execrable thing sayth hee to thy hand that the Lord may turne from the fiercenesse of his wrath and multiplie thee as he hath sworne to thy Fathers c. Wherefore to bring these garments seeing they bee the houshold stuffe of Antichrist into the Church of Christ what is it else then to provoke God to anger and to kindle his furie against us Certaine it is that he who is a true friend of Christ will never seeke to haue the ornaments of Antichrist in his owne house and much lesse will hee suffer them in the Temple of Christ. For who can indure the armes of his enemie in his owne house and specially in the chiefest roome of the same And if God will haue a thing destroyed and abolished who are we that we dare build it up againe But it is Gods will that after the death of Christ all garments of Aaron and Levi should be abolished and hee hath plainlie enough manifested everie where that in these our dayes he would haue all vngodlie and vaine ceremonies pompes deceits and paintings of the Papists driven away by the shining brightnesse of the Gospell because these things haue no power in them to kindle and increase godlines but greatlie availe to the quenching of the same Neither verilie can I see to what other end these garments tend then in very deed that I may now come vnto the second head to defile and disgrace the faire face nay the whole bodie of the Church of England reformed according to the Gospell as if the chaste and honest daughter of a King should bee attired with those verie garments wherewith some famous and notable whoore used to bee adorned and when shee were so clothed were commanded to goe abroad in the streets Now who can allow or judge this to bee tolerable Wherefore though for no other yet for this very cause such garments ought not to bee thrust upon the Church of Christ because that harlot of Rome hath abused and doth still at this day abuse them though in their owne nature they bee not evill to evill and to cover her fornications or rather to entice men to commit fornication For all these pompes and Popish ceremonies are nothing else but whoorish paintings invented and devised for this end that men might thereby bee allured to spirituall fornication Is it not therefore a filthie and dishonest thing to haue these in the Church of Christ If the brasen serpent which had beene ordained of God and that for the wholesome vse of the Israelites was taken away by godly King Ezekias because the Israelites had abused it contrarie to the word of God and if Ezekias bee highlie commended for this so doing because hee had â—â—ned that Serpent into ashes and commanded them to bee cast into the running water that there might never bee any print or signe of it extant any more how much more then are these vncleane garments to bee banished out of the Church of God seeing the Apostles never vsed them but the whoore of Rome hath used them in her Idolatrous worship and to seduce men For it is a verie dishonest thing that such things as are of themselues indifferent and haue been long used to the dispight and dishonour of God should bee retained in the Church of God to the hazard of the salvation of godlie men And much lesse that kinde of garments which is nothing but an invention of men or rather of the Divell himselfe devised to seduce the simple ones Wee all know what praise those common-wealthes deserue which make good lawes that the subiects shall not weare out-landish and strange apparrell nor bring it into the Common-wealthes because it is a corruption of good and honest manners and of the Common-wealthes themselves How then can that counsell which is given to your Maiestie bee commended to wit that garments unknowne to the Christian world in tht time of the Apostles and Apostolicall men should bee brought into the Church of Christ. Aâ—d if an out-landish kinde of attire bee not tolerated in well-governed Common-wealthes how much lesse are Idolatrous and heathenish garments to bee borne with in the Church where God is to be worshipped in spirit and truth and where hee would haue few and verie simple ceremonies Also if God established by his Law that a woman may not put on a mans apparrell not a man a womans the one beeing so well of it selfe dishonest and contrarie to nature as the other Why then should godlie Bishops and the servants of Christ bee clothed or rather shamed and deformed with the garments of godlesse Priests and slaues of Antichrist Why should wee not rather as wee bee of a divers religion from them so also be discerned from them at least in the performance of such duties as belong unto Gods worship by outward signes such as garments be Verilie this was Gods will and hee required of his people that it should bee discerned from the prophane Gentiles as by other things so also by a divers sort of apparrell and so should professe by this publicke signe that it would haue nothing to doe with the Gentiles And why should not wee doe the same Are wee not the people of God abides not the equitie of the same commandemet And if the word honest bee derived of honour what honour will it bee for the Church of Christ to haue Bishops attired and disguised with Popish visors in the administration of the Gospell and Sacraments so as they shall rather be derided then be reverenced any whit by the people And what commendation shall it be for your gracious Maiestie in true Churches and among true beleevers that you permit such trifles to bee called back into your Church Therfore it standeth not with honesty that holy Bishops be compelled to receiue such visors neither is it indeed a matter worthy of honour and praise neither deserveth it the name of vertue For if your Majestie should command that all English men leaving that ancient and very graue and comely attire should weare Turkie coats or a souldiers weed as it is called who would ever approue this decree as honest And